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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
MIAMI (AP) -- Tim Hardaway limped off the court late in the first
quarter and was carried to the locker room, pain and disappointment
evident on his face. His teammates wore the same expression after
the game.
The Miami Heat clinched their fourth consecutive Atlantic
Division title Sunday by beating the Orlando Magic 95-84, but
Hardaway's latest injury left the champions in no mood to
celebrate.
|  | | Miami's Anthony Carter, right, finds the path to the hoop blocked by Ben Wallace. |
Hardaway, who had missed the previous two games with inflammation in
his left foot, returned to the lineup but lasted only eight
minutes. He sprained his right ankle, briefly departed, then pulled
up hurting and left again with 1:14 to go in the first quarter.
Hardaway slumped on the bench before teammate Dan Majerle and
trainer Ron Culp carried him to the locker room. He didn't return.
Culp said the latest injury was only a slight sprain in
Hardaway's left foot, unrelated to the inflammation caused by a
condition known as plantar fasciaitis.
Alonzo Mourning feared the injury might sideline Hardaway for
the playoffs, which begin next weekend.
"It didn't look too good," Mourning said. "We'll probably be
without one of our players. It's going to be a tough loss for us."
Sunday's game was a tough loss for the Magic, who fell into a
tie with Milwaukee in the race for the eighth and final playoff
berth in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks, who hold the tiebreaker
advantage, play at Orlando on Monday.
"We have to have that game, or our season is over," forward
Pat Garrity said.
Magic coach Doc Rivers expects the home crowd to create a
raucous atmosphere for the showdown.
"We need some love," he said. "I want a lot of people and
noise there."
There wasn't much atmosphere Sunday after a power outage delayed
the start of the game 2 hours, 6 minutes. The arena was only
half-full when the game finally began at 2:46 p.m. ET.
"It was pitch black in the locker room," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "We were
sitting there listening to each other breathe. It was sort of like
camping out."
Hardaway was gone from the arena and did not speak with
reporters after the game. Riley said his status is day-to-day, and
the veteran guard will surely be held out of the final two
regular-season games.
The accomplishment of winning the division again is no cause for
gloating, Riley said.
"It doesn't mean much, because we know what it means," he
said. The past two years, Miami has been eliminated in the first
round of the playoffs.
If Hardaway is out, he'll be replaced in the
starting lineup by rookie Anthony Carter, who scored 15 points to
lead a strong effort by the bench against Orlando.
Riley improved his record to 998-432 in 18 seasons. If the Heat
win their final two regular-season games, he'll join Lenny Wilkens
as the only coaches to reach the 1,000-victory milestone.
The Heat appeared headed for their fourth consecutive loss until
three baskets by Clarence Weatherspoon sparked a 21-7 run that put
them ahead to stay, 73-67. Orlando closed to 79-74 with 6:49 left
but then went nearly five minutes without a point.
"We collapsed in the fourth quarter," said Darrell Armstrong,
who scored 16 points for the Magic. "This is too good a story to
let get away. We have to find a way to win Monday."
Game notes
Rivers was upset by a ruling that set the shot clock to
just five seconds when his team had the ball. "That's not fair!
That's not fair!" he shouted. Armstrong then hit a jumper.
"That's fair!" Rivers shouted. "That's fair!" ... Miami
improved to 32-8 at home, a franchise record for victories. ...
Miami won the season series 3-1, although Orlando handed the Heat
one of their worst losses, 94-69 on March 26. ... The Magic are
averaging 17.5 turnovers per game, the most in the NBA.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Orlando Clubhouse
Miami Clubhouse
RECAPS
Miami 95
Orlando 84
Charlotte 105
Boston 102
Portland 102
Sacramento 95
Toronto 85
Chicago 84
LA Lakers 101
Minnesota 95
Atlanta 104
Cleveland 101
Dallas 114
Vancouver 106
Indiana 112
Detroit 101
Seattle 121
Houston 112
Utah 96
Phoenix 82
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