Magic 'Nick' Pacers 92-90

February 21, 1998 / 12:49 AM EST / AP

Nick Anderson has been on a tear recently, and never so much as he was Friday night when he scored a season-high 37 points.

It begs the question: Where have you been all year, Nick?

"Don't even ask," the Orlando Magic guard said after the Magic shocked the Indiana Pacers 93-91. "Let's just forget all that."

Just three weeks ago, Anderson was averaging 6.3 points a game and shooting 30 percent from the free throw line. Magic watchers had pretty much written him off before he suddenly and dramatically turned things around.

Friday night's outburst was the continuation of a remarkable turnaround for Anderson, who has scored 28 or more points in four of his last five games. Even more remarkable, he's shooting 81.5 percent (26 of 32) from the free throw line during that stretch.

"I've been waiting for this to happen for the longest time," he said. "This is the way I always played until Shaq (Shaquille O'Neal) got here. He clogged up the middle so there was no room to drive. I like to be in the thick of things. I don't like standing around waiting for someone to pass it out to me."

Teammate Gerald Wilkins, who played against Anderson early in Anderson's career, said he has never seen someone turn his fortunes around like this.

"I've played against Nick for a long time and I've never seen him bring it with the intensity he's bringing it now," Wilkins said. "He's barreling in there like a freight train."

The Magic, starved all season for offense, needed what Anderson gave them. They got 18 points from 38-year-old Danny Schayes and 12 from backup forward Derek Strong, but no one else reached double figures.

Reggie Miller missed a wide-open 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have won the game for Indiana.

"When you've had a career as long as mine, there are no more `special wins' but this was still rather sensational," Magic coach Chuck Daly said. "We played about as hard as you possibly can and I think our fans really appreciated it."

The Pacers lost to a sub.-500 team for only the second time this season. Indiana used a 16-2 run in the third quarter to rally from nine points down and take a 64-59 lead with 2;05 left in the period.

The Pacers couldn't hold the lead, but did tie the game at 91-all on a 3-pointer by Miller with 1:45 to play.

Derek Strong hit a leaning jumper to put Orlando back on top 93-91 with one minute to play. Rik Smits missed a short jump hook that could have tied the score for Indiana with 34 seconds to play and Miller got a chance to win it, but his shot rimmed out.

"We underestimated them," said Indiana guard Mark Jackson, who had 10 points and 10 assists. "They were shorthanded and that is the kind of team that is dangerous."

"You don't play as well as you like some nights, but if Reggie hits that last shot we win by one and everyone is happy," Indiana coach Larry Bird said. "But Orlando beat s to the punch today. They were rested and much quicker to the ball."

Notes: Only seven players got in the game for Orlando. ... Anderson's career high is 50. ... Indiana's other loss to a sub-.500 team came last week against Dallas. ... Schayes, who became a starter three games ago when Rony Seikaly was traded, is averaging 13 points and seven rebounds in the new role. ... The Magic have used 19 different starting lineups this season. They have lost 182 player-games to injuries.