ESPN Network: ESPN.com | NFL.com | NBA.com | NHL.com | WNBA.com | ABCSports | EXPN | FANTASY | INSIDER

  Scores/Schedules
  Standings
  Statistics
  Transactions
  Injuries
  Players
  Message Board
  NBA StatSearch
  NBA en espaņol
Clubhouses





Monday, Jan. 15 7:30pm ET
Armstrong's season-high 32 pace Magic

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Darrell Armstrong just needed to slow down a little bit.

Darrell Armstrong
Magic guard Darrell Armstrong made 6 of 10 shots from 3-point range.

The Orlando point guard got plenty of feedback after the Magic fell behind by 10 points to Chicago after the first quarter. But after hearing what his teammates had to say, Armstrong eased up and keyed Orlando's comback as the Magic defeated the Bulls 113-104 Monday night.

"Sometimes I go a little too fast," said Armstrong, who finished with a season-high 32 points. "When two or three people come up to you and tell you to slow down because they can't run your pace, then I must be moving really fast."

Tracy McGrady kept pace with 28 points and the Magic hit 11 of 21 3-point shots to win their third game in a row following a four-game slide.

Armstrong, who scored 28 points in the second half, hit 6 of 10 3-pointers. McGrady added nine rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots. Reserve Pat Garrity scored 15 and Bo Outlaw had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Chicago was led by Ron Mercer with 27 points and nine assists. Elton Brand had 22 points and seven rebounds, but was ejected after getting called for consecutive technical fouls with 6:04 remaining in the game.

Fred Hoiberg had 15 points and Michael Ruffin had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulls, who lost their fifth straight game. Chicago made 28 of 29 free throws and shot 46.8 percent from the field.

Chicago hit 12 of 13 free throws to start the fourth quarter and led 94-93, but Orlando finished the game on a 20-10 run.

"We played as well as we have played all year," coach Tim Floyd said. "We didn't finish very strong; maybe that had something to do with playing back-to-back nights. We had the game going where we wanted it in the fourth. Elton got tossed and he's the guy that we really rely on to get to the line and get us points."

Brand said he had hoped his first career ejection would have sparked his team but it didn't happen. When he left the game for arguing a referee's call, Chicago led 92-91.

"I just regret being ejected and not being able to help out my teammates, but I needed to speak my peace," Brand said. "I was hoping that once I was out, the team would step up and win the game but it didn't happen like that. I usually keep my calm but I felt I had to speak today."

Magic coach Doc Rivers was pleased that Brand chose to speak up.

"Elton Brand being thrown out may have been our biggest play of the game," Rivers said. "I have no idea what got him going. I was just surprised no one came to his rescue. That is a great sign of Chicago being a young basketball team. When Elton was going off, no one tried to grab him."

Garrity started the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer that tied the game at 78, and followed with another on Orlando's next possession that gave the Magic an 81-79 lead, their first advantage since Mike Miller's opening-game jumper.

Orlando started the game shooting 1-for-10 and finished the first quarter 5-of-24 (20.8 percent) as Chicago led 26-16.

Chicago built its lead to 56-36 on a 3-pointer by Khalid El-Amin with 3:22 left in the second quarter. The Magic answered with an 11-2 run to cut Chicago's lead to 58-47 at halftime.

Game notes
Ruffin's 11 rebounds were a season high. ... Chicago had 25 assists to Orlando's 17. ... Orlando has won nine of the last 10 regular-season meetings with Chicago. ... The comeback from 20 points was Orlando's largest rally in a victory this year.
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard

Chicago Clubhouse

Orlando Clubhouse

RECAPS
New York 104
San Antonio 82

Milwaukee 101
Washington 95

Philadelphia 84
Charlotte 79

New Jersey 84
Atlanta 78

Sacramento 116
Dallas 105

Boston 107
Minnesota 102

Cleveland 107
Golden State 101

Indiana 89
LA Clippers 74

Orlando 113
Chicago 104

LA Lakers 113
Vancouver 112

Denver 122
Seattle 111

Utah 116
Houston 104

AUDIO/VIDEO
video
 Ron Mercer takes a pass from Elton Brand for an easy layup.
avi: 409 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT

Tracy McGrady Official Site


ESPN.com:  HELP |  ADVERTISER INFO |  CONTACT US |  TOOLS |  SITE MAP
Copyright ©2000 ESPN Internet Group. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Employment opportunities at ESPN.com.