Magic vs. Pacers: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Odds and More for Opening Series

When the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic battle in the first round of the NBA playoffs, the biggest story will likely be a player who's out with an injury. Superstar center Dwight Howard won't be available for the Magic, ending his tumultuous season earlier than expected.

Howard spent most of the season's first half requesting a trade out of Orlando before changing his mind. He agreed to stay with the Magic for another year, but you have to wonder if the front office rues the decision to keep him following his fallout with head coach Stan Van Gundy.

The Pacers will attempt to capitalize on a team that's clearly well below full strength. A strong regular season was enough to earn Indiana the Eastern Conference's third seed behind the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat. Terrific depth is the team's calling card.

Where: Amway Center (Magic) and Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Pacers)

Listen: WDBO 580 AM (Magic) or WIBC 93.1 FM (Pacers)

Live Stream: NBA League Pass

Series Odds: TBD

Series TV Schedule

Game 1: Saturday, April 28 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

Game 2: Monday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV

Game 3: Wednesday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV

Game 4: Saturday, May 5 at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN

Game 5: Tuesday, May 8 with information to be released if necessary

Game 6: Friday, May 11 with information to be released if necessary

Game 7: Sunday, May 13 with information to be released if necessary

Key Injuries (via CBS Sports)

Magic: Dwight Howard (out, back), Hedo Turkoglu (questionable, eye) and Glen Davis (questionable, ankle)

Pacers: No injuries to report

What They're Saying

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel talked with NBA analyst and former player Chris Webber, who made his thoughts about the Magic's first-round series crystal-clear:

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"I think they don’t have a chance," Webber answered. "You have a chance because you’re playing in the playoffs, but I think their chances are slim because of the inside presence of [Roy] Hibbert. Even though [Ryan] Anderson can stretch the court, the inside presence of their players, the scoring inside, I don’t think they can handle it without the shot-blocking presence of Dwight Howard."

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Pacers star Danny Granger looks forward to the chance to play in the postseason and has set his sights high for how far the team can go, according to Michael Pointer of the Indianapolis Star:

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"A lot of times in the past, we knew we were out of the playoffs long before the season was over,'' said Indiana forward Danny Granger, who didn't play Wednesday to rest a sore knee. "This year, we have a chance to do a lot of special things. Just having that feeling toward the end of the season, that we can compete for a championship, is amazing."

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Most Important Player to Watch: Danny Granger

With Howard out, Granger immediately becomes the biggest star in this series. That's an unfamiliar spot for the New Mexico product, as he's usually overshadowed by the opponent's leading scorer. He led the Pacers at 19 points per game while chipping in five rebounds per contest as well.

It will be vital for Granger to exploit his matchup against veteran Hedo Turkoglu without getting away from the system. Indiana posted its impressive record because no single player felt the need to take control, and that can't change in the playoffs.

Granger should look at the series as a chance for him to earn the spotlight for once instead of always being relegated to the background. If he can lead the Pacers into the second round, he should finally start getting the respect he deserves.

Key Matchup: Ryan Anderson vs. David West

If the Magic have any chance of pulling off an upset, Anderson must build off his breakout regular season. The versatile power forward averaged 16 points and eight rebounds, both career highs. His ability to stretch the defense will be a good test for the Pacers.

The onus will be on West to make sure Anderson doesn't dominate. After being brought in during the offseason to provide the Pacers with another reliable post player, West struggled mightily for most of the season. He'll need to bounce back if Indiana wants to make some noise.

Since this matchup is a toss-up and the Pacers have an advantage in just about every other area, they should be able to roll past the Howard-less Magic without much trouble. If the seeds hold, their second-round series won't be nearly as easy.

Prediction: Pacers in five games