"This was a big game. This was a game we had to have looking at our schedule," said shooting guard J.J. Redick, who started for Mickael Pietrus, the latest injury casualty. "Now we get to start the new month at Boston."

On Monday, the Magic (13-4) face the NBA champion Celtics (16-2) in Beantown, a sampling of what December holds for them, including a long trip West and dates against the Spurs, Lakers, Hornets and Pistons.

They likely need to stack up as many wins now against the league dregs to build as big a cushion as possible.

The Magic, who won have four in a row and nine of their last 10, learned earlier Saturday that their injury woes were only mounting.

They have lost Pietrus for three to five after an MRI revealed a torn ligament in his right thumb. Pietrus, originally hurt in Wednesday's victory at Philadelphia, follows starting point guard Jameer Nelson (strained hip flexor) and reserve shooting guard Keith Bogans (fractured thumb) in a crowded trainer's room.

The club swallowed hard when Howard's backup, Tony Battie, limped off the floor in the second quarter against Indiana. Battie returned, but his status could be in doubt for Boston depending on the soreness and swelling.

Coach Stan Van Gundy feared that his thinning team might get worn down and exploited by some of the more athletic Pacers, such as small forward Danny Granger (27 points), shooting guard Marquis Daniels (21) and point guard T.J. Ford (6 points).

Their personnel losses can be covered up when the shooting is terrific and Howard is terrorizing mere mortals. It was pick-your-poison night for the Pacers.

The Magic shot 51 percent and made 12 of 26 3-point attempts, including several that crushed mini-Pacer comebacks in the second half.

Rashard Lewis nailed 5 of 9 3-pointers en route to 24 points and Hedo Turkoglu 3 of 6 to highlight his 22-point effort. Point guard Anthony Johnson provided offense in Pietrus' absence, hitting 3 of 5 3s to score 16 points in making his third start for Nelson.

Redick, starting in Pietrus' spot, scored just four points on just 1 of 4 attempts.

Hard to say with a straight face that the Magic are undermanned with Howard in the lineup. He again manhandled the Pacers for the second time in eight days, recording his fourth career 30-20 game with season highs in points and rebounds.

Howard also had four blocks.

"That's my word [dominate]. I put it everywhere in my house," Howard said. "I write it down a lot. Anthony Johnson talked to me about dominating from the start, letting the other team know what type of game it's going to be."

The Magic seized control midway through the second quarter and never backed off. Ford's jumper cut their lead to 39-35, but Orlando rattled off 10 unanswered points to build a 14-point cushion.

A lay-up by Howard gave the Magic an 11-point halftime lead at 58-47. They built it to as many as 22 in the second half behind Lewis' 13-third-quarter points.

"These are games we're supposed to win, we need to win with a tough December coming against top-notch teams," Lewis said. "It's going to test our will."