Pacers look to be heavy favorite against Magic

The road to the second round of the playoffs has gotten easier for the Pacers. Indiana, which is headed to the playoffs for the second straight year after missing it five consecutive seasons, opens at home against Orlando.
  
The Pacers went 1-3 against the Magic during the regular season, but they'll enter the series as the favorites, and it's not because they have home court in the series, either.
  
The Pacers, who fell to the Bulls 92-87 at home Wednesday, will have the edge because Orlando, which has dealt with drama after drama this season, will be without All-Star center Dwight Howard (back) during the series.
  
The lack of a dominating presence inside means the Pacers can stay at home on Orlando's perimeter shooters.
  
What the Pacers can't do, though, is overlook the Magic because they don't have Howard in the lineup. The Magic have the 3-point shooters that can go on a roll and keep them in the game.
  
"We can't look at them as the Dwight-less Magic," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "One of their greatest assets is (coach) Stan Van Gundy and how he prepares no matter who is in uniform. They have a very dangerous style with or without Dwight."
    

  
Coach Frank Vogel didn't play his starters more than 28 minutes Wednesday. Guard Paul George had the most minutes with 29. Vogel wanted his players to get some playing time, but he didn't want to tire them out since they open the playoffs later this week. "Our starters got some good reps and so did our bench," Vogel said."
  
The Pacers didn't let one of the league's best defenses force them into many turnovers. Indiana only committed 11 turnovers against the Bulls, with five of them coming from guard Dahntay Jones and guard Darren Collison off the bench. The Pacers had 11 or fewer turnovers in six of their last seven games of the season.
  
"We accomplished the goal of getting a good look at Lance Stephenson. He really had a heck of a basketball game." Coach Frank Vogel.