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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) –- Reggie Miller lined up for a potential
game-winning shot, and Magic coach Doc Rivers experienced a
flashback from his days in New York.
|  | | Darrell Armstrong, who scored 14 points, drives through the lane as Al Harrington defends. |
The Magic were up by two points when Miller sidestepped a flying
Tracy McGrady to hoist a 3-pointer with 7.3 seconds remaining. The
shot missed, and the Magic escaped with an 84-82 victory.
"Oh, my," Rivers said. "Of all the guys to have a three.
Being an ex-Knick, I was already ready to draw up a play for two.
Flashbacks just start flying. Fortunately, maybe he can't make
those shots against the Magic."
Indiana didn't need a 3-pointer to force overtime, but Miller
said it was the right decision.
"It was a wide-open look that I missed," Miller said. "On the
road, you want to go for the jugular. I had McGrady in the air for
a step-back three. I got my feet set and I felt pretty good about
it."
Added Indiana coach Isiah Thomas: "Sometimes you make them and
sometimes you don't."
McGrady had 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three
steals for Orlando. It was the 54th time he has scored 20 or more
points and the 49th time he has led the Magic in scoring.
Darrell Armstrong and Mike Miller had 14 points each for Orlando
and Michael Doleac added 10.
McGrady scored his first basket at 10:11 of the second quarter,
but wasn't concerned about his slow start.
"I was just missing shots, trying to get my teammates involved
early," McGrady said. "I can score when I want to. Scoring is
nothing, but I try and get my teammates involved because I see
teams are keying on me a lot, doing a lot of doubling."
The Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal made one of two free throws to cut
Orlando's lead to 84-82 with 43.6 seconds remaining. McGrady then
missed a 15-foot baseline jumper, but Miller followed that with his
errant attempt.
McGrady grabbed the rebound and dribbled out the clock before
tossing the ball into the stands as the Magic stopped a two-game
losing slide.
Orlando and Indiana have split four games this season, with the
home team winning each time.
"We didn't play well, but we played well enough to win,"
Armstrong said. "That's a sign of a good team, a sign of a team
that could play through things in different situations."
O'Neal made 9-of-11 shots and was 8-for-14 from the line to lead
Indiana with 26 points. He added 12 rebounds and blocked four
shots. Jalen Rose had 13 points and Miller had 11 but they were a
combined 8-of-34 from the field.
Orlando started the third quarter on a 20-4 run and led 68-58
heading into the fourth. McGrady had nine points and Michael Doleac
added eight as the Magic made 10 of 18 field goals.
"We dug ourselves a hole in the third quarter," Thomas said.
"(Orlando) came out with a lot of energy and we came back with the
same starting unit that started the game. We could not match their
energy. Consequently, they were able to get the big lead.
"When you don't make shots, no matter how much energy you have,
it doesn't matter. For the most part of the game, particularly our
two main guys, we did not make enough shots."
O'Neal left the game at 8:57 of the second quarter following a
flagrant foul by McGrady. O'Neal was going up for a dunk but fell
awkwardly and was helped off the court after staying on the ground
a couple of minutes. He returned at 4:30 after a trainer examined
his knee.
Game notes
Orlando's Andrew DeClercq missed his third consecutive game
with a strained right calf. ... Indiana outscored Orlando 34-18 in
the paint. ... Orlando was 5-for-17 on 3-point attempts. ... Each
team had 43 rebounds. ... Orlando is 15-8 all-time against Indiana
at home. ... O'Neal had his 35th double-double of the year.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Indiana Clubhouse
Orlando Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 102
Vancouver 92
Orlando 84
Indiana 82
Miami 88
San Antonio 83
Milwaukee 105
Atlanta 98
Boston 102
Chicago 98
Minnesota 105
New Jersey 91
LA Lakers 84
Sacramento 72
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