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Friday, Dec. 15 10:00pm ET
Wallace, Blazers back in first

RECAP | BOX SCORE | 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.


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
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Tracy McGrady Official Site

Mike Dunleavy Official Site


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