RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The Orlando Magic had no idea Tracy
McGrady was this good.
McGrady had a career-high 40 points, 10 rebounds and five
assists as the Orlando Magic beat New Jersey 95-74 on Saturday
night, handing the Nets their season-high seventh straight loss.
"He is getting better and better," said sidelined Orlando forward
Grant Hill. "No one knew he was this good. He's working his
way through the double teams and finding his shot. He's gotten
stronger and more confident. My being out has given him the
opportunity, and he has responded."
McGrady, who had 71 points in back-to-back wins over the
injury-riddled Nets, single-handedly outscored the Nets starters
40-32, capping his career night with a scoop layup with 1:35 to
play. He hit 18 of 32 shots from the field and all four of his free
throws in breaking his previous high of 32 set on opening night
against Washington on Oct. 31.
"He just had it going," Nets guard Kendall Gill said. "He's
had it going the last two nights. Everything he threw up there was
going down. When players have those nights, you can't stop them."
With the Magic still reeling from a stretch of seven losses in
eight games, McGrady said he felt more pressure to produce.
"It was just one of those nights, everything felt good, from
the first jumper to the last," said the 21-year-old, who was
acquired by Orlando from Toronto in the offseason in a
sign-and-trade deal. "When you get in a groove like that, it feels
like you can hit anything."
McGrady almost did while scoring 20-plus points for the 10th
straight game.
"It was an unusual 40 points, no threes, only four free
throws," Orlando coach Doc Rivers said. "It shows how much he
dominated."
Pat Garrity added 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter when
Orlando used a 16-4 spurt to turn its second win over the Nets in
as many nights into a laugher.
Any chance the Nets had probably ended with 15 seconds left in
the first quarter when point guard Stephon Marbury, the NBA's
fourth-leading scorer, sprained his left ankle on a drive to the
basket. He had the ankle retaped and played 34 minutes, but he
never scored again, finishing with 12 points, 14 below his average.
"It definitely hurt," Marbury said. "I had no
explosiveness."
McGrady, who had 31 points on Friday night against the Nets in a
three-point win, was even better on Saturday. Playing with a
heavily taped left hand, he had 24 at the half and he came up big
when New Jersey made its only serious run, tying the game at 54 on
a jumper by rookie Kenyon Martin.
With Orlando leading 59-56 after Nets forward Johnny Newman
made one of two free throws, McGrady scored six straight points for
the Magic in a 12-3 run that gave them a 71-59 lead late in the
third quarter.
New Jersey closed within 75-67 early in the fourth quarter, but
McGrady had four points and Garrity added eight more in a 12-point
run that put the game out of reach.
Game notes
Nets guard Kerry Kittles, sidelined all season while
rehabilitating a knee injury, attended the game. ... Orlando's Don
Reid missed his second straight game with a stomach virus. ... Nets
backup forward Johnny Newman played despite getting two stitches in
his lip Friday night. ... The game marked the third time (3-10)
Orlando has won while scoring under 100 points. The Magic had
lost seven of eight before playing the Nets...The win was Orlando's
third in eight road games.
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NBA Scoreboard
Orlando Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
Atlanta 101
Milwaukee 94
Charlotte 94
Utah 89
Philadelphia 112
Cleveland 78
Orlando 95
New Jersey 74
New York 100
Minnesota 90
Miami 93
Washington 90
Portland 96
Houston 85
Denver 103
Seattle 92
Dallas 97
Golden State 78
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