Orlando's starters average a league-best 83.7 points, a pace that would make them the NBA's third-highest scoring starting unit since 1991-92. All five Magic starters average at least 13.7 points, and each has scored 20 points at least twice this season.

The starting group had been the same for the team's first 10 games prior to Tuesday against Toronto, when Pietrus was held out because of bruised ribs suffered in a 90-85 win at Charlotte two days earlier. Pietrus, who signed with Orlando (8-3) over the summer after spending his first five seasons with Golden State, has been the team's most pleasant surprise.

The only new member of the starting five, he's scoring 14.5 points per game - more than twice what he averaged last season - on a career-best 49.5 percent shooting. With Pietrus sidelined, the rest of the starters didn't skip a beat against the Raptors, accounting for 94 points in a 103-90 win.

Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson scored 22 apiece.

"It wasn't like (Toronto) didn't play well," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We had to play real well. I thought Jameer was fantastic. I thought it was a very, very good win for us, the best we've played all year."

Pietrus is expected to play against the Pacers (5-5), but the Magic could use more from All-Star center Dwight Howard. After averaging 23.9 points and 15.0 rebounds in his first eight games, Howard has scored just 13.3 points and grabbed 9.7 boards in his last three.

Howard will have his work cut out for him against an Indiana team that surrenders just 33.8 points in the paint - fifth-best in the league. After dropping back-to-back games against Philadelphia and Chicago last Friday and Saturday, the Pacers got back in the win column on Tuesday by dominating the paint.

Rasho Nesterovic scored a season-high 21 and Indiana outscored Atlanta 56-28 in the paint in a 113-96 win.

"He's what you call a good pro," point guard T.J. Ford told the Pacers' official Web site. "He doesn't have a big name. He never has. But if you ask around the NBA, they know he's a solid player."

Since coming back from a sprained ankle, Nesterovic has bolstered Indiana's inside game, scoring in double figures in four straight and averaging 13.3 points.

Danny Granger is the Pacers' leading scorer, and he's also been one of the league's best players through the first three weeks. Granger is averaging 24.3 points - among the top 10 scorers in the NBA - and he had a season-high 34 against Atlanta.

"He's got that killer instinct for a scorer," Nesterovic said. "He's so young and he can just go up. He's definitely going to be a cornerstone of this team for many years."

Granger was excellent against Orlando last season, averaging 26.7 points and 3.3 steals in three games. Orlando, however, won two of the three behind 24.0 points and 13.0 rebounds from Howard.