NBA ROUNDUP : Magic Not Challenged in Blowout

Shaquille O’Neal scored 30 points and Anfernee Hardaway ,scored 25 as the Orlando Magic established the largest margin of victory in team history with a 152-104 rout of the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night at Milwaukee.

O’Neal scored 19 of his points in the first half as the Magic ended a four-game road losing streak.

“It was a case of them catching us coming off a very embarrassing and disappointing loss,” said Magic Coach Brian Hill, whose team lost Sunday to the Minnesota Timberwolves. “I think our guys wanted to atone for it.”

The Magic defeated the Philadelphia 76ers last Friday, 129-83, for the previous record and was only three points shy of matching the team record for points in a game. The Magic beat the Utah Jazz, 155-116, on Dec. 30, 1990.

The Bucks matched a club record for margin of defeat. They lost to the Jazz, 144-96, on Jan. 27, 1990.

Horace Grant had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic.

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Miami 103, Cleveland 96--Glen Rice, the NBA’s three-point shooting champion, made six three-pointers and scored 36 points for the Heat at Cleveland.

Alvin Gentry earned his second NBA coaching victory since replacing Kevin Loughery on Feb. 14 as Miami snapped a three-game losing streak.

Rice, who won the three-point shooting championship during the NBA’s All-Star weekend, was six for 10 on three-point shots and Miami was nine for 15.

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Charlotte 115, Chicago 104--The Hornets held the Bulls to a franchise-low nine points in the third quarter and rallied from a 19-point deficit at Charlotte, N.C.

Scott Burrell, Hersey Hawkins and Larry Johnson scored 23 points each, and the Hornets established a team record for fewest points given up in a quarter.

Chicago led, 60-43, at halftime and built its lead in the third quarter. But the Bulls were four for 14 shooting in the quarter and committed 14 turnovers as they were outscored, 35-9.

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Detroit 99, Sacramento 93--Joe Dumars completed a four-point play to break a late tie, leading the Pistons at Auburn Hills, Mich.

The loss ended Sacramento’s three-game winning streak and cost the Kings a chance to go nine games over .500 for the first time since April 15, 1983, when the franchise was still in Kansas City.

The Pistons broke a three-game losing streak, winning for the eighth time in 10 home games.

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Golden State 98, Philadelphia 85--Tim Hardaway scored 21 points and Donyell Marshall, acquired Saturday from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a trade for Tom Gugliotta, had 14 in his Warrior debut at Oakland.

Dana Barros scored 26 points to lead Philadelphia, and Scott Williams had a career-high 20 rebounds to go with his 17 points.

Latrell Sprewell, with 17 points, was among six Warriors in double figures as new Golden State Coach Bob Lanier got his second victory since taking over for Don Nelson a week ago.