With O’Neal’s 49 Points, Hardaway’s 30, It’s Magic

It was Shaquille O’Neal and it was Anfernee Hardaway and that was just about enough.

O’Neal scored a season-high 49 points and Hardaway scored seven of his 30 points in overtime for the Orlando Magic, which beat the Washington Bullets, 111-108, on Friday night for a franchise-record fourth consecutive victory on the road.

After Calbert Cheaney’s free throw pulled the Bullets to 71-70 with 3:48 to play in the third quarter, O’Neal and Hardaway teamed for 39 of Orlando’s next 40 points.

“They just weren’t going to let this one slip away,” Magic Coach Brian Hill said. “This was a game where both of our star players stepped up big. . . . That’s what star players do.”

O’Neal’s basket gave Orlando a 103-101 lead 1:21 into overtime, and Hardaway scored the Magic’s next seven points as Orlando won its fifth consecutive game overall.

“They don’t have the best reputation in the NBA, but they’re tough at home,” Hardaway said of the Bullets. “You just use this as a stepping stone. But we’re glad it’s a road win.”

Juwan Howard scored 27 points for the Bullets, who have lost four in a row and 14 of 17 to the Magic.

Chris Whitney scored a career-high 19 points in a reserve role for Washington. The Bullets’ subs outscored Orlando’s, 48-6.

Washington had tied the game at 101 on two free throws by Howard with 18.4 seconds to play in regulation. The Bullets used a 9-1 run midway through the fourth quarter to take a 97-91 lead before O’Neal, who had 17 rebounds, knotted the game, 97-97, by scoring the Magic’s next six points.

O’Neal, who had a career-high 40 shots, seemed to have his way with Washington’s Gheorghe Muresan, who got in foul trouble early and was never a factor on offense or defense.

“I wouldn’t let myself get in foul trouble,” O’Neal said. “Just push him out, take a step back and block a shot--that’s how you play him. . . . If you play close to him, he can’t get a shot off.”

Bullet Coach Jim Lynam, who was more worried about the Magic’s three-point bombers, defended his decision not to double-team O’Neal.

“If you’re in a time game or [have] a lead, you take a chance,” Lynam said. “Dennis Scott has had three games where he made eight threes. We did not want to give up too many three-point shots.”

Washington’s Rasheed Wallace, who scored 10 points in the first half, left the game midway through the third quarter with a broken left thumb and did not return. Lynam said Wallace was out for the rest of the year.

Boston 99, Denver 98--Greg Minor scored at the buzzer after Rick Fox’s desperation inbounds pass ricocheted off the rim, and the Celtics won at home.

Reggie Williams’ three-point basket with four-tenths of a second to play had given the Nuggets a 98-97 lead. Boston immediately called time out, then put the ball in play from midcourt on the right side.

Fox heaved the ball toward the basket. It hit the backboard and bounced off the front of the rim into Minor’s hands. Minor, falling back, threw the ball into the basket from just in front of the free throw line.

Sacramento 80, Portland 78--Brian Grant’s 20-foot jump shot with four seconds to play and a blocked shot by Duane Causwell at the buzzer in Sacramento lifted the Kings, who ended Portland’s six-game winning streak.

The Kings scored only 15 points in the final quarter, but the Trail Blazers mustered only 12.

Utah 88, Cleveland 75--Karl Malone had 27 points and 12 rebounds for the Jazz, who won its 16th consecutive home game and halted Cleveland’s three-game winning streak.

Jeff Hornacek scored 16 points and David Benoit added 11 as Utah won its third in a row to remain within 1 1/2 games of Midwest Division-leading San Antonio.

Detroit 111, New Jersey 96--Grant Hill had 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the Pistons, who won their seventh in a row at home and avoided a three-game losing streak.

Chris Childs led New Jersey with 16 points and reserves Jayson Williams and Vern Fleming had 13 each.

Indiana 111, Vancouver 94--Reggie Miller scored 23 points and the Pacers extended Vancouver’s losing streak to 17 games with a victory in Indianapolis.

Indiana had lost six of its previous eight games, but put Vancouver away with a 16-2 run in the final 4:46 of the first half.

San Antonio 120, Toronto 108--David Robinson scored 24 points at Toronto to lead the Spurs to their 12th victory in a row.

Tracy Murray kept the Raptors close, scoring 23 of his game-high 29 points in the first half as the Spurs went to the dressing room up, 61-57.

But Sean Elliott, who also scored 24 points for the Spurs, started the third quarter with a three-point play, sparking a 14-3 run to put the game out of reach.

Atlanta 117, Charlotte 92--Steve Smith had 15 of his 27 points in a third-quarter surge for the Hawks, who won at Charlotte.

The Hornets suffered their second consecutive lopsided loss since they had opened a 1 1/2-game lead over Miami for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot, and Miami caught them Friday night.

Miami 122, Milwaukee 106--Walt Williams and Chris Gatling each scored 23 points at Milwaukee to lead the Heat, who won their seventh in their last eight games and moved half a game ahead of Charlotte for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Vin Baker had 23 points and Glenn Robinson added 20 for the Bucks, who lost their 10th in a row, one shy of the franchise record. Milwaukee has lost 11 in a row three times, the last from December 3-22, 1992.

Minnesota 110, Dallas 84--Isaiah Rider scored 31 points, 11 in the third quarter, for the Timberwolves, who won at Dallas to hand the Mavericks their ninth loss in a row.

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NBA Notes

The Golden State Warriors will play next season at the San Jose Arena while the Oakland Coliseum undergoes a $121 million renovation. . . . Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Jerry Stackhouse apologized for fighting with Utah Jazz guard Jeff Hornacek during Wednesday night’s game. “What I did was inexcusable and was an embarrassment to all concerned,” said Stackhouse, who was suspended for two games and fined $7,500 by the NBA for his actions. . . . Swingman Doug West was placed on the injured list by the Minnesota Timberwolves because of a sore right foot. . . . Sarunas Marciulionis returned to action for the Sacramento Kings after missing the last 11 games because of a quadriceps tear, and rookie Clint McDaniel, coming off a career-high eight points in the Kings’ last game, was placed on the injured list with knee tendinitis to make room for Marciulionis. . . . The Boston Celtics placed center Eric Montross on the injured list due to a severely sprained left ankle.