RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
TORONTO (AP) -- After being spat at and booed, Tracy McGrady
strutted into a postgame news conference, saying he took pleasure
in silencing Toronto Raptors fans.
| | Toronto's Vince Carter, left, and Orlando's Tracy McGrady share a laugh, maybe over some of the boos and hoots sent toward McGrady from the Toronto crowd.
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McGrady, who left the Raptors as a free agent, scored 24 points
in his first game back in Toronto and the Orlando Magic beat the
Raptors 104-101 Sunday night.
"It felt good," McGrady said. "We definitely quieted the
fans. I think that was the most exciting thing for me."
McGrady was unmercifully booed throughout the game. Fans brought
derogatory signs and chanted even when he didn't have the ball.
"They spat at me, but they still love me," McGrady said. "If
they didn't love me, they wouldn't be booing me. I'm happy for
them."
Darrell Armstrong added 22 points and Pat Garrity had 20 for Orlando, which tied Toronto for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Should the teams end the year tied, Orlando holds the tiebreaker.
"To come in here, and go through all that today, was really big
for myself and the team," McGrady said.
Vince Carter had 28 points and 11 assists for the Raptors, whose
four-game winning streak came to an end.
Orlando's Bo Outlaw made contact with Carter as Carter attempted
a potential game-tying 3-pointer with a few seconds remaining, but
the officials didn't call a foul.
"The ref was right there. How can he not see that?" Toronto
coach Lenny Wilkens said. "It was embarrassing. It was
ludicrous."
The Magic led by as many as 15, but Carter narrowed the lead to
four with a layup with 9:10 remaining in the fourth.
Orlando countered with an 11-4 run as Garrity made a 3-pointer
and a three-point play, and Armstrong made a layup and a 3-pointer,
giving the Magic a 95-84 lead with 5:24 left.
Carter's 3-pointer and Keon Clark's layup cut it to four with
just more than a minute remaining.
Armstrong made one of two free throws with 35 seconds left.
Toronto's Chris Childs hit two free throws to cut the lead to
three with 24 seconds remaining, but Garrity countered with two
free throws of his own.
Carter followed with a dunk, cutting the lead to three again,
and Armstrong missed both of his free-throw attempts, giving
Toronto a chance to tie with 4.6 seconds left.
After official Luis Grillo's non-call on Carter, Alvin Williams'
desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer was short.
"That's an old-school ref there. He's not going to make that
call," Garrity said.
McGrady said leaving Toronto was the right move.
"The fans wanted me to stay because they could have had
something special with me and Vince," McGrady said. "I just felt
Orlando was the place for me. My game has elevated to a whole new
level."
Game notes McGrady leads the Magic in scoring, rebounding, blocks and
minutes played. He's second in assists and steals. "I don't think
anyone knew he was going to be this good. I think that's why it
stings more," Orlando coach Doc Rivers said. ... Fans loudly
cheered the singing of Canada's national anthem. Many felt McGrady
rejected Canada. ... Oakley passed Wilkens for
19th on the career list of minutes played. ... Orlando made eight
of their 12 3-point shots. ... Armstrong made four of his five
attempts. ... Oakley and Antonio Davis added 18 points for
Toronto.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Orlando Clubhouse
Toronto Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 104 Indiana 93
Charlotte 80 Boston 79
Minnesota 99 Portland 95
Utah 92 Vancouver 73
New York 79 LA Lakers 78
Orlando 104 Toronto 101
Detroit 104 Golden State 87
New Jersey 101 Houston 98
Phoenix 106 Milwaukee 99
Dallas 119 Sacramento 107
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