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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- For all their supposed struggles, the
Portland Trail Blazers suddenly are a first-place team.
Rasheed Wallace had 22 points to lead six Portland players in
double figures as the Trail Blazers beat the Orlando Magic 106-96
Friday night to move into a tie for first in the Pacific Division.
"We don't feel we've played our best," said Steve Smith, whose
team has won four straight and 11 of 14 after a 6-4 start. "To be
tied or in the hunt, that makes us feel good."
Arvydas Sabonis added a season-high 18 points for the Blazers,
who along with Sacramento are a half-game ahead of Phoenix, even
though the Suns have a better winning percentage, .682 to .680.
Tracy McGrady had 39 points -- one under his career high -- to
lead Orlando, which was outrebounded 51-33, three nights after
getting beaten 52-37 on the boards by Seattle.
"Well, we got crushed on the boards again, and it's becoming a
recurring theme," said coach Doc Rivers, who tried to motivate his
team by getting ejected in the second quarter.
"I don't think at times we play with enough fire, passion,
hatred -- whatever we have to do -- so I think at times I have to try
to fabricate it, and that's not going to work if that's what I have
to do."
Orlando played without Grant Hill for the 19th time in 23 games.
Hill, slowed by a sore left ankle, started the first two games of
the Magic's road trip, but hobbled off the court late in Tuesday
night's game at Seattle. Orlando had won four straight before
Hill's comeback, but lost the next two with him.
Even with McGrady breaking out of a shooting slump, the Magic
never came close to threatening the Blazers, who were determined
not to let up after Wednesday night's impressive 10-point victory
over the Los Angeles Lakers.
"We didn't want to lose this, because if we did, it would have
made the Laker game all for nothing," Smith said.
Portland scored the first seven points and led by as many as 20
in the second quarter. Damon Stoudamire added 15 points and Scottie
Pippen had eight assists. Wallace had 10 rebounds.
McGrady had not adjusted well to Hill's return, scoring a
combined 34 points on 33 percent shooting in the previous two
games. McGrady had averaged 34 points during his team's four-game
win streak.
"We don't care how talented a team is, we've just got to go out
and take care of our business," McGrady said. "That was a
winnable game for us; we just didn't bring it in the first half."
Darrell Armstrong had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists
for the Magic.
Sabonis, playing in his fifth straight since missing 13 of the
previous 20 with a left knee injury, had his best performance of
the season, making nine of 14 shots to go with eight rebounds.
The Blazers dominated the paint at both ends. They outrebounded
Orlando 51-33, and took turns driving into the lane and drawing
away the Magic's slower, undersized big men.
That left plenty of easy opportunities for Sabonis and Wallace,
who combined for 14 points and nine rebounds in the first 10
minutes.
"Sheed and Sabas established themselves early, and that
dictated how the game was going to be played," Stoudamire said.
"Orlando really couldn't match up with them."
With Hill out, the Blazers were focusing on McGrady, but instead
Michael Doleac took the Magic's first three shots and missed badly.
McGrady then hit his first three shots, but the Magic missed five
of their next six, and Portland took a 20-10 lead.
Orlando didn't pull within single digits again until the final
minutes.
Game
notes
McGrady's 39 points were the most scored against the
Blazers this season, topping Vince Carter's 37 at Toronto on Nov.
16. ... The Magic fell to 3-8 on the road. ... Rivers was ejected
for arguing with referee Ronnie Nunn, because another official made
an illegal-defense call against Portland instead of Nunn, who had a
better angle. ... Doleac, playing in his hometown, missed nine of
11 shots and scored four points. He picked up five fouls.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Orlando Clubhouse
Portland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 103
Indiana 95
Dallas 112
Philadelphia 94
Charlotte 103
Washington 89
Sacramento 104
Boston 81
Utah 89
New York 58
Minnesota 99
Detroit 90
Atlanta 85
Chicago 74
Milwaukee 104
Toronto 97
LA Clippers 98
Phoenix 88
Portland 106
Orlando 96
Seattle 99
Miami 81
LA Lakers 98
Vancouver 76
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Tracy McGrady Official Site
Mike Dunleavy Official Site
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