INDIANAPOLIS, March 5 (UPI) -- Rookie Jamaal Tinsley scored a season-high 30 points and had 12 assists and six rebounds Tuesday night as the Indiana Pacers defeated the Orlando Magic, 111-98, further tightening the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Tinsley made 12-of-20 shots from the field, including five 3-pointers, for Indiana (30-30), which moved within one game of Orlando (31-29) for the fifth playoff spot in the East.
Just three games separate fourth-place Boston (32-27) from Charlotte and Washington (29-30), which are tied for eighth.
Jermaine O'Neal and Austin Croshere each added 18 points and Ron Artest chipped in 17 for the Pacers, who shot 51 percent (40-of-79) and limited the Magic to 40 percent (39-of-98).
Indiana led, 87-72, after Kevin Ollie hit a pair of free throws with 10 1/2 minutes to go, but Orlando rallied to get within 96-90 on two free throws by Tracy McGrady with 4:40 left.
Tinsley countered with a 3-pointer and the Magic got no closer than nine points thereafter.
Pat Garrity led six Orlando players in double figures with 18 points. McGrady had 11 rebounds and seven assists but was held to 13 points -- 12 below his average -- on 5-of-21 shooting.
