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NBA briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 8, 2000

Magic wins 4th straight; return of Hill delayed

ORLANDO -- It wasn't so much the shots Orlando's Tracy McGrady made but the ones Denver missed -- especially in the fourth quarter -- that helped the Magic.

Aided by the Nuggets shooting 1-of-18 from the field in the fourth, Orlando defeated Denver 103-93 Thursday night with 36 points from McGrady. The Magic outscored the Nuggets 27-14 after trailing by three to start the period.

"That's it, 1-for-18 in the fourth quarter," Orlando coach Doc Rivers said. "One-for-18 is an amazing defensive effort. You're going to win a lot of games. I think you're going to win them all if you can do that."

McGrady had 36 points in making 15 of 31 field goal attempts. He surpassed 30 points a fifth time this season and has had more than 20 in each of his past 12 games. McGrady also had a season-high 12 rebounds and four assists.

Trying to slow McGrady is a challenge not many teams have been able to handle. He has scored 161 points in his past five games (32.2 average).

"You try to play up on him, and he goes to the basket," Denver's Ryan Bowen said. "You stay off him and he pulls up for the jumper. You've just got to try to do your best when you're out there."

Rookie Mike Miller added 19 points off the bench, connecting on four of seven three-pointers before fouling out with 4:22 remaining. Darrell Armstrong had 17 points and nine assists.

Injured Magic forward Grant Hill, who considered returning against the Nuggets, was held out. He may play in Monday's game at the Clippers, coach Doc Rivers said.

Hill had surgery on his left ankle in May and played in two games this season before pain forced him to the injured list. He began practicing Monday.

"He's very close, but I think we need another couple of days," Rivers was quoted as saying on the team's official Web site. "I like the fact that we have two or three days of practice before we go out West, and I think he'll be ready by then."

KNICKS 86, SPURS 83: Latrell Sprewell scored 20 points as New York overcame a 14-point deficit, dealing host San Antonio its first home loss of the season.

The Knicks took their first lead with 9:09 left in the fourth quarter on a pair of free throws by Chris Childs. They widened the lead to five with 4:25 left on a jumper by Glen Rice, but the Spurs got to 84-83 with 1:08 left on a layup by Sean Elliott followed by a 20-foot jumper by Derek Anderson. After Tim Duncan missed a 15-foot jumper for the Spurs, Allan Houston fired a 22-footer over Anderson's outstretched arm to make it 86-83.

JAZZ 98, GRIZZLIES 87: Trailing 68-60 entering the final period, visiting Vancouver looked to Bryant Reeves for some offense, and Reeves cut its deficit to 68-64 by scoring the Grizzlies' first eight points of the quarter.

Utah responded with a 9-0 run, including fastbreaks from Bryon Russell and Donyell Marshall.

TIMBERWOLVES 105, WIZARDS 88: Host Minnesota put the game away in the third quarter. Terrell Brandon shot 5-for-7 from the field and 4-for-5 from the line during the period as the Timberwolves took an 80-66 lead into the fourth.

It was Washington's sixth straight loss.

SUNS 104, BUCKS 96: Jason Kidd had three key baskets in the fourth quarter and finished with 16 points, and his jump shot with 25 seconds left wrapped up the win for visiting Phoenix.

Trailing by seven at the start of the fourth quarter, the Suns went on a 9-2 run, including seven points by Rodney Rogers, then put the game away.

HORNETS: Coach Paul Silas was fined $5,000 by the league for making an obscene gesture at a referee. Silas was ejected in the second quarter of Wednesday night's game against the Pacers, and he flipped his middle finger at referee Jim Kinsey as he left the court. It was the first time in Silas' 137 games with the Hornets that he was ejected.

RAPTORS: Vince Carter, out for five games because of a strained left quadriceps, may return to the lineup tonight against Golden State. Carter is the league's third-leading scorer with a 27.5-point average. Toronto also expects to have Charles Oakley back tonight. He missed the last three games because of a league suspension following an altercation last Friday with Jeff McInnis of the Clippers.

TV: Former Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo will join NBC's NBA Showtime as an in-studio analyst starting Dec. 25. Carlesimo is best known for being choked by Latrell Sprewell in 1997. Before joining the Warriors in 1996, Carlesimo coached the Trail Blazers for two years after 12 seasons at Seton Hall University.

ABA 2000

Joey Meyer, who succeeded his father, Ray, as coach at DePaul and was fired after 13 seasons in 1997, was hired as coach of the Chicago Skyliners of the new American Basketball Association 2000 league. Chicago opens Dec. 26 against Tampa Bay.

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