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GAME FLOW
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – No team in the NBA has a better streak than
Orlando, and no player on the Magic has done more in that span than Darrell Armstrong.
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Armstrong scored 22 points and had a career-high 16 assists in leading the Magic to their season-high seventh straight win, 114-101 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
The sixth-year point guard is playing some of the best ball of his career in sparking the run, averaging 23.1 points and 8.7 assists per game. Also, he's turned the ball over only nine times in during the seven-game stretch.
"This is the best in the 2½ years that I've been here that
Darrell has played," Orlando coach Doc Rivers said. "He's getting
big numbers, but they're efficient numbers."
Armstrong's previous high for assists was 14, done three times.
"I have faith in guys knocking down shots," he said. "When
you've got someone who can hit shots, it's almost like running the
pick-and-roll like John Stockton and Karl Malone. It's that easy."
Even the opposition had to give Armstrong credit.
"Darrell Armstrong is probably one of the most underrated
players in the NBA," Clippers coach Alvin Gentry said. "If he
goes, then the Magic goes."
Armstrong, who claimed that time in the weight room has improved his aim, shot 9-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-5 on 3-pointers. In Orlando's winning streak, he's shooting 54 percent, including 59 percent from behind the arc.
"I think Darrell Armstrong should be player of the month,"
said Tracy McGrady, who also scored 22 points for Orlando. "He's
just playing real smart right now. He's the leader of the team,
gets us in our offense. It starts with him."
The Clippers, who lost their third straight, were led by Lamar
Odom's 15 points. Jeff McInnis and Darius Miles each had 14.
"First of all, we are not going to win games if you give up 114 points," Gentry said. "It doesn't matter how many we score, we are not going to be able to score enough to win a game at 114 points."
Orlando took control with a 17-5 tear midway through the second
quarter to go ahead by 15 points. Armstrong began the run with a
three-point play off a rainbow jumper in the lane and later added a
thundering fast-break dunk.
The Magic opened the margin to 20 points early in the third
period as Mike Miller scored six straight points. He finished with
16 points on 7-of-13 shooting.
Game notes
Michael Olowokandi had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the
Clippers for his seventh double-double of the year. ... The last
time an Orlando player other than Armstrong or McGrady led the team
in scoring was Jan. 2, when Troy Hudson had a career-high 30 points
in a loss at New Jersey. ... The time of Orlando's home game
against New York on Saturday has been moved to 7:30 p.m. from 12:30
p.m.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Clippers Clubhouse
Orlando Clubhouse
RECAPS
Milwaukee 102
Atlanta 98
Detroit 105
New Jersey 86
Orlando 114
LA Clippers 101
Philadelphia 112
LA Lakers 97
Phoenix 104
Minnesota 96
Utah 106
New York 90
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Tracy McGrady Official Site
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