St. Petersburg Times Online: Sports
TampaBay.com
Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather
tampabay.com

printer version

NBA briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 26, 2000


Magic wastes McGrady's 43 points as Pacers roll

INDIANAPOLIS -- Home suddenly got a lot better for the Pacers. So did the play of second-year forward Jonathan Bender.

"I took a different approach," said Bender, who had career highs of 20 points and four blocks in Indiana's 103-93 victory over Orlando on Monday.

"I wanted to go to the boards strong, play defense and get a couple of blocks. If I do that, the offense will come," said Bender, who entered the game averaging 3 points.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Magic.

Jalen Rose scored 31 points and Reggie Miller 22 as the Pacers snapped a record three-game losing streak in 2-year-old Conseco Fieldhouse.

Tracy McGrady, who was guarded by Bender, scored a career-high 43 points for the Magic, but he had little support. Indiana took control in the third quarter, built its lead to 15 and held off a late rally with two free throws apiece by Rose and Travis Best in the closing seconds.

"Jonathon played great for us. He gave us some really good minutes," Miller said. "Even though Tracy had 43, (Bender) did a good job of really contesting a lot of shots. He got into the game really quickly, and that helped us out."

The Pacers, who lost five games at home last season, had lost six times this season. They fell behind Orlando by nine early in the second quarter.

But Bender, starting for the second straight game, scored 10 points in the third quarter as the Pacers opened an 83-68 lead. Indiana led 87-76 going into the fourth.

"It's a difficult game to win when you basically have one guy doing all the shooting and all the scoring," Magic coach Doc Rivers said. "Tracy played terrific, obviously. ... I think he sensed that some of the guys weren't making the shots and started forcing it."

Before the game, Indiana put Bruno Sundov on the injured list with a strained right groin. Guard Tyus Edney was activated.

TRAIL BLAZERS 109, LAKERS 104: Portland didn't blow it in the fourth quarter this time.

Damon Stoudamire scored eight of his 27 points in the final 3:40 as the visiting Blazers hung on to snap Los Angeles' five-game winning streak.

Nearly seven months after Portland's collapse in Game 7 of the Western Conference final on the same court, it was the Lakers who faltered down the stretch.

Shaquille O'Neal missed four consecutive free throws with the Lakers trailing by six in the final three minutes. He finished with 32 points and 15 rebounds.

With the Lakers trailing 107-104, Kobe Bryant was called for an offensive foul -- his sixth -- negating his basket with 7.4 seconds left.

Rasheed Wallace led Portland with 33 points and 13 rebounds.

Portland's Scottie Pippen became the 59th player to reach 17,000 points.

Back to Sports

Back to Top

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111
Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright
 

From the Times sports desk

Darrell Fry
  • A legend, just ask, holds on to dream

  • Bucs
  • A feel for Philly'
  • What they're saying

  • NFL
  • Around the NFC
  • Around the AFC
  • NFC notebook
  • AFC briefs

  • Lightning/NHL
  • No holiday rush evident for young Lecavalier
  • NHL briefs

  • College football
  • College bowl games

  • Outdoors
  • Captain's Corner

  • NBA
  • NBA briefs

  • Et cetera
  • Sports digest


  • From the wire

    From the state sports wire
  • Jacksonville's Spicer placed on IR after leg surgery
  • FIU-Western Kentucky game postponed because of Jeanne
  • Brown anxious to face old team for first time
  • Dolphins' desperate defense readies for Roethlisberger
  • Former Sarasota lineman sheds tough-guy image with Michigan
  • Rothstein rejoins Heat as assistant
  • No. 16 Florida has history on its side against Kentucky
  • FSU and Clemson QBs both off to slow starts