“I’ve played through many injuries. This is just one that I can’t play through, and I would never quit on my team. I would never quit on my fans. I would never quit on anybody, my coach, whoever it is. I’ve never been a quitter. For people to say that, it hurt.”

Howard also volunteered that he has spoken with Magic coach Stan Van Gundy “a bunch of times since the playoffs have started, what I see from my view just watching the game.”

That would be surprising considering that Howard was said to be incensed that Van Gundy, in response to a direct question, said on April 5 that he had heard from the “top” of the Magic organization that Howard wanted him fired.

After the Magic’s practice today in Orlando, Van Gundy said he had reached out to Howard either right before or right after Game 2 of the team’s playoff series against the Indiana Pacers.

“He’s bored to death because he can’t really do anything,” Van Gundy said. “He’s sitting in a motel and doing his rehab, and the rehab, it’s not like you’re out running three miles or anything. You’re starting slow. So he’s bored more than anything.”

General Manager Otis Smith visited Howard in California on Tuesday, and both Smith and Magic CEO Alex Martins said that Howard has not requested a trade.

As Howard walked away from the TMZ cameraman, Howard said, “We all we got.”

That phrase has turned into his teammates’ motto in his absence.

Howard said he feels “a little sad that I can’t be in Orlando” with his teammates.

“I feel like I’m in jail right now,” Howard said.

Follow Josh Robbins on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins and e-mail him at jrobbins@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.

Copyright © 2012, Orlando Sentinel

Appearing on camera for the first time since he underwent back surgery April 20, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard told a paparazzo today that he would never quit on his team.

“I’ve never been a quitter my whole life,” Howard told the celebrity gossip website TMZ as he walked back from a rehabilitation session in Beverly Hills, Calif.

“I’ve played through many injuries. This is just one that I can’t play through, and I would never quit on my team. I would never quit on my fans. I would never quit on anybody, my coach, whoever it is. I’ve never been a quitter. For people to say that, it hurt.”

Howard also volunteered that he has spoken with Magic coach Stan Van Gundy “a bunch of times since the playoffs have started, what I see from my view just watching the game.”

That would be surprising considering that Howard was said to be incensed that Van Gundy, in response to a direct question, said on April 5 that he had heard from the “top” of the Magic organization that Howard wanted him fired.

After the Magic’s practice today in Orlando, Van Gundy said he had reached out to Howard either right before or right after Game 2 of the team’s playoff series against the Indiana Pacers.

“He’s bored to death because he can’t really do anything,” Van Gundy said. “He’s sitting in a motel and doing his rehab, and the rehab, it’s not like you’re out running three miles or anything. You’re starting slow. So he’s bored more than anything.”

General Manager Otis Smith visited Howard in California on Tuesday, and both Smith and Magic CEO Alex Martins said that Howard has not requested a trade.

As Howard walked away from the TMZ cameraman, Howard said, “We all we got.”

That phrase has turned into his teammates’ motto in his absence.

Howard said he feels “a little sad that I can’t be in Orlando” with his teammates.

“I feel like I’m in jail right now,” Howard said.

Follow Josh Robbins on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins and e-mail him at jrobbins@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.

The buzzword inside the Orlando Magic’s practice facility today was “energy.”

Stan Van Gundy and his players say the Pacers are playing with much more energy, especially at the beginning of the first and third quarters.

“The biggest thing you notice watching the film — it’s not like our guys aren’t trying — is just that you really see a difference in pace and energy level,” Van Gundy said after the Magic met to review game tape.

Left almost unsaid is that with Dwight Howard out, the Magic face talent and size disadvantages against the Pacers. And without outworking the Pacers, the Magic have little chance of winning the series.

Orlando lost Game 3 Wednesday night 97-74 and trail the series two games to one.

Magic players said today that the problems they face can be corrected.

“We’ve all been talking about it: just playing with a lot more energy and a lot more aggressiveness,” Jameer Nelson said.

The Magic didn’t do any organized on-court work today, although Hedo Turkoglu and J.J. Redick shot baskets on their own and others did cardio and weight work.

The Pacers are off today.

Follow Josh Robbins on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins and e-mail him at jrobbins@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.

ORLANDO - 

Danny Granger scored 26 points, Roy Hibbert had 18 and the Indiana Pacers ran away in the second half for a 97-74 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.

The Pacers outscored the Magic 32-17 in the third quarter and 53-36 in the second half to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Saturday in Orlando.

Glen Davis scored 16 of his 22 points for Orlando in the second quarter, J.J. Redick had 13 points off the bench and Jameer Nelson added 10.

The Pacers pulled away in the third quarter behind 12 points from Hibbert and better than 52 percent shooting from the field.

Hibbert and Granger led a 15-3 run that turned a nine-point Indiana lead into a 21-point bulge in about four minutes. Hibbert had six points during the run and Granger scored seven, including five in a row to make it 72-51.

The third-seeded Pacers took a 76-55 lead into the fourth quarter after being up just six at halftime and led by as many as 29.

“I think our starters are just really dialed in,” said Indiana coach Frank Vogel, whose team out-rebounded the Magic 46-33, with Hibbert getting 10 and Granger nine. “They have played extremely well together.”

Vogel said his team wouldn’t look too far ahead after an easy win, especially since the Pacers lost three of four to the Magic in the regular season series.

“I think it’s always a concern, but [we] understand how dangerous this team is,” said Vogel.

George Hill added 15 points in the win, Paul George scored 12 and Darren Collison had 10 off the bench.

Hill and Granger combined to scored 17 points in the first quarter and the Pacers shot better than 62 percent for a 23-14 lead. The Magic trailed by 11 just six minutes in after a Granger three-pointer.

“We didn’t play well at either end of the floor,” said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. “It was a very, very tough day. They clearly dominated us.”

Davis had 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the second quarter for the Magic, including four in a row to spark a quick 6-0 burst that cut their deficit from nine to three in a minute and a half.

It got as close as two on a Davis jumper later in the quarter, but the Pacers scored six of the last eight points of the half to take a 44-38 lead into the break.

Game Notes

The Pacers were 8-for-20 from three-point range and shot 46.8 percent from the field overall…The Magic shot 42.3 percent and turned the ball over 17 times leading to 27 Indiana points.

For the second game in a row in this playoff series, the Orlando Magic were done in by a lackluster third quarter, and are now coming dangerously close to proving that they are no match for the Indiana Pacers this year. Sure, they are without Dwight Howard, but having said that, Orlando does not match up well against the taller Pacers nor can they run with them either. So unless they are getting open looks and making a slew of 3-pointers, this Magic team is starting to look outclassed by Indiana. So who then were the heroes and goats of this third game of this embarrassing loss?

The Heroes:

Glen Davis (C)

If this series ends up proving anything, it’s that “Big Baby” Glen Davis should be a starter in the NBA. Davis, who came off the bench for Orlando during most of the year before Howard went down with an injury, has certainly stepped up his game in D12′s absence. And despite the fact that Roy Hibbert keeps blocking a fair share of his shots, he has been playing well against the much taller foe. For the game, Davis scored 22 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 32 minutes on the floor.

J.J. Redick (SG)

Don’t blame Redick for this loss either, as the former Duke star did what he could with the time he had on the floor. In 24 minutes of play, the Orlando guard managed to score 13 points. Why on earth Stan Van Gundy continues to start Jason Richardson is beyond understanding, especially when the latter is nursing a sprained thumb.

The Goats:

Ryan Anderson (PF)

Orlando needed Anderson to get back to the type of shooting and rebounding he did during the regular season, especially on the offensive boards. Instead Anderson all but disappeared in this one, scoring 7 points and grabbing 1 rebound. In this series at least, Anderson has been no match for David West, playing rather timid at times.

Jason Richardson (SG)

Richardson, who was a critical part of Orlando’s victory in game 1, was missing in action once again in this one. By games end, Richardson had missed both of his 3-point attempts, a couple of foul shots and a few more shots from the field. Sure, you can blame the injured thumb, but come on, if he was tabbed to start, he should have come to play.

Hedo Turkoglu (SF)

Yes, he’s another Magic player playing through an injury. Nevertheless, Turkoglu was not able to offer Orlando much in this one, beyond getting the team on the board with a 3-pointer in the first quarter. At least Quentin Richardson was able to contribute 10 boards in a backup role.

About this writer: A resident of Orlando, FL, the writer has been a fan of the Orlando Magic since their inaugural season in the NBA. The writer lists Scott Skiles and Hedo Turkoglu among his all-time favorite Magic players.

Source: Fox Florida Sports Live Television Broadcast, Wednesday 5/2/2012, 7:30 p.m.

The Orlando Magic are in trouble.

Almost nothing is working. The Indiana Pacers’ starters overwhelm their starters in the first and third quarters. The Magic’s vaunted 3-point shooting and Ryan Anderson have disappeared. And Roy Hibbert dominates on the defensive end of the court.

The Pacers hammered the Magic 97-74 in Game 3 Wednesday night at Amway Center. Indiana now leads the best-of-seven series two games to one.

“You have team wins and you have team losses, and this was a team loss,” coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Coaching loss. Team loss. We’re all in it together. I don’t think anyone played well. Anyone for us.”

But the starters struggled most, just as they did in Game 1 and in Game 2.

The Pacers took an 11-point lead in the game’s first six minutes. After the Magic fought back before the end of the first half, the starters were on the floor while the Pacers pulled away in the third quarter.

“They’re doing what they need to do at the right time,” Magic center Glen Davis said. “They’re playing extremely harder than us at some times of the game. Their energy level is consistent. I think that’s one of our biggest problems in the first and third quarter. We can’t play from behind.”

The Magic never led on Wednesday.

They never even tied the score.

And their deficiencies without Dwight Howard have become obvious.

The Pacers have decided they will not allow the Magic to beat them from beyond the 3-point line. Orlando averaged a league-high 27.0 attempts per game from 3-point range during the regular season, but on Wednesday, they only managed 15 attempts.

Hibbert, all 7 feet 2 of him, patrols the lane, and the Pacers consistently leave Davis wide-open on pick-and-pop plays, which allows the rest of the Pacers to stay on their men and eliminates the need for them to rotate.

The Magic have no one who can punish the taller and more athletic Pacers with post-ups, and J.J. Redick has been the only one who has driven to the rim with any success on a consistent basis.

Davis finished with a team-high 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting and almost single-handedly willed the Magic back into the game in the second quarter.

But what is benefitting Davis is hurting Anderson.

Anderson finished with seven points on 2-of-6 shooting, and he did not score a point until he sank a 3-pointer with 8:18 left in regulation. By that time, the game’s outcome already was a certainty.

“I’m not going to lie,” Anderson said. “Yeah, it’s frustrating as a group in general to lose a game like this, but obviously we can bounce back.”

Van Gundy assigned Anderson to guard Hibbert and assigned Davis to guard David West.

That backfired.

Although West finished with just 4 points, Hibbert scored 18 points, and he also collected 10 rebounds, blocked three shots and altered plenty of others.

In this series, the Magic have done just fine when they’ve matched the Pacers’ energy. But that turned in Game 2′s crucial third quarter, when Indiana beat Orlando to every loose ball, corralling 15 of the first 16 rebounds of the period and scored 13 second-chance points to Orlando’s two.

The Magic must sustain their intensity, and they need to draw energy from their home crowd. (Of course, that begs the question whether the typically disengaged home crowd, particularly the fans in the lower bowl, can provide much noise, but that’s another issue entirely.)

2. Help on West The Magic’s halfcourt defense has been surprisingly solid so far in this series, but one area of concern revolves around the Pacers’ rugged power forward, David West.

West enjoys a distinct advantage when he posts up against Ryan Anderson. The Magic are going to have to give Anderson some help here, perhaps with point guards and wings ducking in on post-ups.

3. Ball movement Pacers coach Frank Vogel has told his players repeatedly that they cannot allow uncontested 3s. If the Magic make contested 3s, fine, but Vogel has emphasized the importance of guarding the 3-point line and closing out quickly. Orlando players will have to maintain their ball movement, finding open perimeter shooters on the weak side, in order to provide an extra split second to square up for 3s.

4. Get back The Pacers want to push the ball at every opportunity in transition, and they did that to devastating effect in Game 2, scoring 22 fastbreak points to the Magic’s two.

The Magic must do a much better job of getting back on defense, especially when their perimeter shooters miss long shots. In order to get back quickly, the Magic may need to be more selective in their attempts to secure offensive rebounds.

5. Sharpen the pick-and-roll Indiana’s height has caused significant problems, especially when Jameer Nelson has attempted to attack the rim. According to Synergy Sports Technology, the Magic went just 2-for-17 in Game 2 on shot attempts by the ball handler off pick-and-rolls.

Those misses weren’t all by Nelson, of course, but the diminutive point guard obviously faces a challenge when he penetrates into the lane and finds 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert there, as Van Gundy noted after Monday’s defeat. Somehow, Magic coaches are going to have to find a way to give Nelson and his teammates some more space on the inside.

Follow Josh Robbins on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins and e-mail him at jrobbins@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.

In this series, the Magic have done just fine when they’ve matched the Pacers’ energy. But that turned in Game 2′s crucial third quarter, when Indiana beat Orlando to every loose ball, corralling 15 of the first 16 rebounds of the period and scored 13 second-chance points to Orlando’s two.

The Magic must sustain their intensity, and they need to draw energy from their home crowd. (Of course, that begs the question whether the typically disengaged home crowd, particularly the fans in the lower bowl, can provide much noise, but that’s another issue entirely.)

2. Help on West The Magic’s halfcourt defense has been surprisingly solid so far in this series, but one area of concern revolves around the Pacers’ rugged power forward, David West.

West enjoys a distinct advantage when he posts up against Ryan Anderson. The Magic are going to have to give Anderson some help here, perhaps with point guards and wings ducking in on post-ups.

3. Ball movement Pacers coach Frank Vogel has told his players repeatedly that they cannot allow uncontested 3s. If the Magic make contested 3s, fine, but Vogel has emphasized the importance of guarding the 3-point line and closing out quickly. Orlando players will have to maintain their ball movement, finding open perimeter shooters on the weak side, in order to provide an extra split second to square up for 3s.

4. Get back The Pacers want to push the ball at every opportunity in transition, and they did that to devastating effect in Game 2, scoring 22 fastbreak points to the Magic’s two.

The Magic must do a much better job of getting back on defense, especially when their perimeter shooters miss long shots. In order to get back quickly, the Magic may need to be more selective in their attempts to secure offensive rebounds.

5. Sharpen the pick-and-roll Indiana’s height has caused significant problems, especially when Jameer Nelson has attempted to attack the rim. According to Synergy Sports Technology, the Magic went just 2-for-17 in Game 2 on shot attempts by the ball handler off pick-and-rolls.

Those misses weren’t all by Nelson, of course, but the diminutive point guard obviously faces a challenge when he penetrates into the lane and finds 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert there, as Van Gundy noted after Monday’s defeat. Somehow, Magic coaches are going to have to find a way to give Nelson and his teammates some more space on the inside.

Follow Josh Robbins on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins and e-mail him at jrobbins@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.