This Magic Victory Takes Some Time

Tracy McGrady scored 42 points, Drew Gooden had a career-high 32 and the Orlando Magic made its first four shots in overtime to defeat the Boston Celtics, 124-118, Friday night at Orlando, Fla.

McGrady had his fourth 40-point outing of the season. He opened the extra period with a three-point basket, making up for the three-point shot he missed that would have won the game as time ran out in regulation.

After Paul Pierce and Jiri Welsch made consecutive baskets to give the Celtics a 115-114 lead, Gooden’s jump shot gave Orlando the lead for good. Keith Bogans and Juwan Howard then scored on back-to-back possessions for the Magic. The Celtics missed their next five shots.

Boston tied the score at 111 with 2.3 seconds left in regulation on Walter McCarty’s three-point basket.

New York 108, Seattle 88 -- Lenny Wilkens enjoyed a laugher in his first game at Madison Square Garden as coach of the Knicks.

Keith Van Horn scored 30 points in 28 minutes, and Allan Houston had 18 in a game that turned into a blowout before halftime.

Stephon Marbury had 17 assists, three shy of his career high and four short of the franchise record of 21 by Richie Guerin on Dec. 12, 1958.

Detroit 98, Washington 77 -- The Pistons extended their winning streak to 11 games by routing the Wizards at Detroit.

Detroit, which hadn’t won 11 in a row since the 1990-91 season, can match the franchise record of 13 consecutive wins set in the 1989-90 championship season with victories in Milwaukee on Saturday and at home against San Antonio on Monday.

Indiana 89, San Antonio 79 -- Reggie Miller scored 28 points -- including seven three-point baskets -- to help the Pacers get past the Spurs at Indianapolis.

Jermaine O’Neal overcame foul trouble and scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, when the Pacers took control. It was Miller who sealed the victory. He made a three-point basket with 48.5 seconds left to give the Pacers an 84-73 lead.

Dallas 91, Denver 88 -- Michael Finley scored five points in the final 1:26 at Denver, and the Mavericks held on to beat the Nuggets.

Andre Miller scored 28 points, including eight straight to cut the lead to 89-88, but Finley accounted for the final margin with two free throws with 5.7 seconds left.

Phoenix 104, Golden State 93 -- Joe Johnson scored a season-high 26 points on 12-for-16 shooting -- mostly from the outside -- to lead the Suns at Phoenix.

Johnson got the Suns out of trouble with outside jumpers three times in the final 6:14. He made an 18-footer and was fouled for a three-point play to make the score 98-87 with 4:26 left, then made a runner with 2:53 left to make the score 100-91.

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Toronto Raptor forward Vince Carter, who went down clutching his right leg after losing his balance during a dunk attempt in the first quarter of Thursday night’s game against New Orleans, has a strained right quadriceps and is listed as day to day. The team issued a news release Friday, saying Carter will “continue rehabilitation with ongoing evaluation.”.... The Knicks added three-time NBA All-Star Mark Aguirre and Dick Helm to Wilkens’ coaching staff. Aguirre joined the Knicks last month as a developmental coach after Isiah Thomas was named the team’s president and general manager. Helm worked with Wilkens in Seattle, Cleveland, Atlanta and Toronto.