INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana fans gave Victor Oladipo a warm welcome to the NBA on Tuesday night. Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. "Weve got to win the battles, win the tough games and weve got to win the games that we should win," George said. "We have to take care of business early and not rely on the end of the season to start playing well and start getting a streak going. We have to start a streak early." They got off to a good start Tuesday -- even though it was a little ragged for a team that might have the best chance of unseating two-time defending NBA champion Miami. Indiana committed 20 turnovers and gave up 13 offensive rebounds against the worst team in the league last season. Roy Hibbert, who was two rebounds short of his career-high (17) in the first half, grabbed only one in the second half and left midway through the fourth quarter after an awkward tumble underneath his own basket that left him grasping at his knee. A few moments later, the 7-foot-2 former All-Star limped to the bench and coach Frank Vogel said Hibbert is expected to play Wednesday night at New Orleans. Despite the struggles, the Pacers still managed to get things done. George finished with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Lance Stephenson had 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Hibbert scored just eight points but had 16 rebounds and seven blocks and the rebuilt bench played a huge role, scoring all but four points during the decisive run. It left Vogel optimistic about the season. "Our bench, in the last three preseason games and tonight, really just blew the game open," he said. "I think theyre going to be really strong, I think it was just a matter of nerves tonight." The Pacers were aware they were facing split allegiances in Oladipos adopted home state. More than 90 minutes before tipoff, one section near the court was almost completely full of fans decked out in Indiana University colours or fans wearing new Magic Jerseys, far more than the 18 to 20 people Oladipo said he gave tickets to. When the former Indiana star wasnt announced as a starter, the fans saved a rousing standing ovation for Oladipos grand entrance -- midway through the first quarter. But by the third quarter most of those cheers were drowned out by a smattering of boos, a sign that Oladipo is no longer just the hometown kid. The Magic were led by Andrew Nicholson, who scored all 18 of his points in the first half. Maurice Harkless added 14 and Jameer Nelson had 12 as the Magic shot 38.7 per cent from the field. But most of the near sellout crowd wanted to see how quickly and smoothly Oladipo could make the transition from college star to NBA franchise player. He finished 4 of 11 from the field with 12 points, three rebounds, two assists and three turnovers. "It was a great atmosphere. There were a lot of Hoosier fans in there," he said. "I would have liked to have won, but overall it was pretty cool." The short-handed Magic still had a chance after Ronnie Price cut the Pacers lead to 65-64 with 6.1 seconds left in the third quarter. After the basket, Orlando was called for delay of game and David West made the free throw. George then took the inbounds pass from his own baseline, drove to within 26 feet and made a 3 from beyond the top of the key to give Indiana a 69-64 lead. Indianas rebuilt bench then took control. The backups scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 10, and that 12-4 run made it 86-68 with 7:35 left. Orlando, even with Oladipo, couldnt challenge the Eastern Conference runner-ups again. "We have to be dominant at home if we hope to compete for the one seed with the likes of Brooklyn, New York, Chicago and Miami," Vogel said. "You have to be dominant at home." NOTES: Indiana recognized last seasons Central Division title banner during pregame introductions. ... Pacers fans got a special preview of the 15-foot statue of Larry Bird that will be dedicated at a formal ceremony next weekend on the campus of Indiana State, Birds alma mater. It was temporarily placed in the lobby of Bankers Life Fieldhouse. ... The Pacers lead the all-time series with Orlando 45-44. ... Indiana Hoosiers coach Tom Crean told Orlandos Fox affiliate that he would miss Oladipos scoring and deflections more than his singing. ... Orlandos Tobias Harris and Doron Lamb sat out with sprained ankles.
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Giovani Bernard Jersey Black Friday . The networks exclusive live coverage of the national mens championship begins Saturday, March 3 at 2:30pm et/11:30am pt on TSN with Draw 1 matchups.Carson, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Liverpool midfielder and captain Steven Gerrard has signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy and will join the club in July, after the conclusion of the 2014-15 Premier League season. Im very excited to begin the next chapter of my career in the United States with LA Galaxy, said Gerrard. The Galaxy are the most successful club in Major League Soccer history and I am looking forward to competing for more championships in the years to come. My discussions with (head coach) Bruce Arena and (club president) Chris Klein were extremely positive and the future of the team is very bright. I am committed to helping the LA Galaxy compete for trophies and to having an impact in Los Angeles and I will give my all for the club. In the meantime, I will continue to give everything for Liverpool for the remainder of this season before joining up with the Galaxy. Gerrard. 34. joins the Galaxy after announcing his decision to leave Liverpool, concluding a stellar 17-year career on Merseyside during which he has served a captain since 2003 and has made 696 appearances while scoring 182 goals across all competitions. The Liverpool native also led the Reds to 10 trophies over the past 15 years. He has won two FA Cups (2001, 2006), three League Cups (2001, 2003, 2012), one UEFA Cup and the 2005 UEFA Champions League title, in which he famously led the Reds back from a 3-0 halftime deficit against AC Milan and won on penalty kicks. Individually, he has earned honors as the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year (2001), PFA Player of the Year (2006), Football Writers? Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year (2009), PFA Fans? Player of the Year (2001, 2009), PFA Team of the Year (2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014), FA England Player of the Year (2007, 2012), UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (2005) and FIFAs Ballon dOr Bronze Award (2005).dddddddddddd Were very pleased to acquire a player of Stevens caliber, experience and character, Arena said. He is one of the most decorated players in the world and will join our team with a wealth of success playing at the highest level of the sport. Steven will be an excellent example to our young players and were excited to add him and his leadership to an already talented roster. The LA Galaxy continue to compete for championships and strive for unparalleled success each year, and signing Steven is another example of Mr. Anschutz continued commitment to the growth of soccer in Los Angeles and North America, said Klein. We were aggressive in our pursuit of Steven and look forward to his contributions to our club both on and off the field. Gerrard joined the Liverpool Academy at the age of nine before signing his first professional contract with the club in 1997 as a 17-year-old. He made his debut with the Reds on Nov. 29, 1998 as a second-half substitute in a match against Blackburn Rovers and went on to play in 12 more games during his debut season. His first goal came the following season during a 4-1 win at Anfield against Sheffield Wednesday.
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