(Reuters) – The visiting Indiana Pacers squandered a 19-point lead against the Orlando Magic but rose up in overtime to register a 101-99 victory yesterday to take a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven NBA playoff series.
The Magic trailed 82-63 with 8:14 left but rallied to tie it 89-89 at the end of regulation and force overtime.
Indiana scored the first six points of the extra five-minute period but once again the Magic clawed their way back to draw even at 99-99.
With 2.2 seconds left in the overtime, Jameer Nelson fouled George Hill driving into the lane and the Pacers guard sank both free throws for a 101-99 lead.
Glen “Big Baby” Davis’s desperate, fall-away jumper grazed the rim as the buzzer sounded to leave Orlando, playing without injured center Dwight Howard, on the brink of elimination.
David West led Indiana with 26 points, while Danny Granger added another 21. The Magic were paced by Jason Richardson with 25 points and Davis with 24.
The first-round series resumes in Indianapolis on Tuesday.
