ORLANDO, Fla. – The situation? Force against force. The Indiana Pacers, the NBA’s second-best shooting team, had 12 minutes to maintain a four-point lead against the Orlando Magic’s second-ranked defense.

What was at stake? A 2-1 series advantage between two rivals expected to compete for Eastern Conference playoff spots.

Something would have to give. That would be the Pacers.

Miss. Miss. Turnover. Miss. Miss. Miss. Turnover. Miss. Miss. Miss. Turnover.

In the first 4:34 of the fourth quarter, the Magic turned a four-point deficit into a nine-point lead. The Magic would win 94-90, their fourth straight victory. The Pacers, who three nights earlier had lost 132 points to the New York Knicks, became Orlando’s fourth consecutive opponent to fail to reach 100 points.

When it mattered most, the NBA’s best defense in the fourth quarter stopped another attack.

“It’s so contagious,” Jonathan Isaac said of the feeling he gets when Magic’s ensemble stretches out like that. “What’s great is you can feel the momentum coming. When a guy makes a save and you feel that energy, and it’s almost like I can feel, ‘Hey, it’s on the point to be our race and we can make stops.’ .’

“Shots will end up falling,” he added. “We struggled early, but the shots started falling towards the end of the game, and that’s all we needed. With defense like that and shots falling, I think we “We can hang with any team in the league night after night.”

Indiana finished the quarter 5 of 19 and was turned over seven times for 10 Magic points. As was the case in Wednesday night’s four-point victory, Orlando’s offense often suffers shooting lulls and turnover issues. But the team takes comfort in knowing their stifling defense can hijack a result at any time.

In 13 games, the Magic have done just that. They have by far the best defense in the NBA in the fourth quarter:

The Magic’s ability to string together stops feels good, Anthony Black said, knowing frustration is mounting on the part of the opposition. Orlando talks about forcing teams to reach a breaking point, where everything boils over with relentless pressure.

A defense that flies everywhere, as coach Jamahl Mosley said after the game Wednesday, gives the Magic the ability to win ugly games. Although he would prefer smoother sailing, courageous performances define a team that is not afraid to take on an opponent.

“That’s what (this defense) is,” Mosley said. “We’re going to keep our feet to the fire to defend the right way.”

This mentality is key to playing time in the Magic rotation. Regardless of the unit or scenario, all five players on the court should meet Orlando’s defensive standards. The reason Jalen Suggs spent all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter on the floor despite a 2-of-15 shooting night? Both interceptions he earned by not disengaging due to poor offense.

Anthony Black also played the entire fourth period, producing three steals, a block and his six points. Isaac grabbed five boards and had one of his three refusals.

While the Magic have adapted without leading scorer and playmaker Paolo Banchero, the offense is still looking for consistency. But as players have become accustomed to this reality, Orlando’s defense more often than not tends to leash the Magic.

A rested Indiana team – the Magic’s third game in four nights – was their toughest test yet.

“I almost can’t say enough about the resilience and energy and mindset of these guys,” Isaac said. “With this, I feel like we can go as far as we want.”

Friday night’s home finale will feature perennial All-Stars Paul George and Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, another Eastern Conference rival expected to compete for a playoff spot.

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