NBA ROUNDUP : No Magic in Tacoma for Orlando in Loss

The Magic seems invincible in Orlando, with a 10-0 record. The road, though, is another story.

Orlando has a 17-5 record, tied with Phoenix for the best in the NBA, but the Magic suffered through a humiliating Saturday in Tacoma, Wash., losing to the Seattle SuperSonics, 124-84.

Gary Payton had 31 points and a season-high seven steals for Seattle, which held Shaquille O’Neal, the league’s leading scorer, to 15 points a night after he had scored 40 against Golden State.

He made only six of 15 shots against double- and triple-teaming defenses and was held to five rebounds.

O’Neal said the SuperSonics used their fast break to build a commanding lead.

“I think we were a bit tired and they were ready for us,� O’Neal said.

Orlando had scored a season-high 131 points Friday and had a season-low 84 Saturday. The Magic lost for only the third time in its last 18 games.

Payton scored 24 points in the first half as the SuperSonics took a 61-34 halftime lead. Kendall Gill scored 23 of his season-high 25 points in the second half for Seattle, which won its ninth consecutive home game.

“It was by far our best game of the season,� Seattle Coach George Karl said. “Gary was fantastic. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him play better.�

Anfernee Hardaway, Orlando’s point guard, was limited to only 17 minutes because of a sore left hamstring. Starting forward Donald Royal bruised his right knee at the end of the first half and did not return.

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Phoenix 109, Sacramento 98--Charles Barkley had season highs with 27 points and 14 rebounds in the Suns’ 22nd consecutive home victory.

Danny Manning added 22 points for Phoenix, which has won seven in a row overall and held its last five opponents to fewer than 100 points.

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Boston 112, Houston 109--Dominique Wilkins scored 43 points, making five of six three-point shots, as the Celtics won at Houston.

It was the first victory in three games for Boston and only its third victory in the last 10 outings. The Rockets have lost eight of 12 after opening the season with nine consecutive victories.

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Utah 97, Chicago 89--Karl Malone had 30 points and 14 rebounds and John Stockton added 15 assists as the Jazz pulled away late for a club-record seventh consecutive road victory.

The loss dropped the Bulls to 5-5 in their new home, the United Center, after they dominated teams in the old Chicago Stadium in previous seasons.

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Detroit 97, Philadelphia 92--Terry Mills scored 32 points and Joe Dumars added 22, including two crucial free throws with 11 seconds to play, as the Pistons broke a five-game losing streak by winning at Philadelphia.

Both teams did well in three-point shooting, Philadelphia connecting on 10 of 23 and Detroit on eight of 14.

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Miami 96, Atlanta 85--Kevin Willis had 24 points and 11 rebounds in his first game against his former team as the Heat won in Miami.

Willis, traded by Atlanta for Steve Smith and Grant Long on Nov. 7, spent the first nine years of his NBA career with the Hawks.

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Charlotte 111, Denver 92--Hersey Hawkins scored a season-high 28 points to lead the Hornets in a victory over Denver in Charlotte.

Hawkins, limited to two points on one-for-seven shooting in Friday night’s loss to Indiana, made 12 of 18 shots against the Nuggets.

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Minnesota 96, Washington 87--Doug West tied his season best with a game-high 25 points in Landover, Md., as the Timberwolves won their second in a row and sent the Bullets to their fifth consecutive defeat.