Tracy McGrady scored a team-record 62 points, becoming just the third NBA player in the past dozen years to score that many, in the Orlando Magic's 108-99 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
McGrady, who had 55 points in the final three periods, broke Shaquille O'Neal's team record of 53 points set against Minnesota in 1994.
The 62 points was the most in the NBA this season and the league's first 60-point game since O'Neal had 61 for the Lakers against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 6, 2000.
PHOTO: AP
In the past 12 years, only David Robinson (71 versus the Clippers on April 24, 1994) and Michael Jordan (63 versus Orlando on Jan. 16, 1993) have scored as least 62 points in a game.
McGrady shot 20-for-37 from the field, including 5-for-14 from 3-point range, and made 17 of 26 free throws in 46 minutes. He also had 10 rebounds and five assists.
McGrady's previous career-high was 52 points against Chicago on Feb. 21, 2003. He scored 51 earlier this season against Denver.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The Magic, who have won only 19 games this season, swept the four-game season series.
McGrady scored 17 of the Magic's first 19 points in the second quarter, the last coming on a 3-pointer that put Orlando ahead 34-22 with 7:21 left before halftime. The Magic pushed that lead to as many as 15 before Gilbert Arenas started scoring.
Arenas had nine of Washington's last 11 points in the quarter, including a steal and layup that cut the deficit to 46-40 with 45 seconds left in the half. Arenas finished with 22 in the half.
McGrady and Arenas resumed their shooting duel to start the second half, with McGrady scoring 16 points in the first seven minutes and Arenas countering with 11.
McGrady ended up with 24 points in the quarter, one off the team-record 25 he scored in the second quarter against Denver last season.
Cavaliers 106, Raptors 92
In Toronto, Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 30 points as Cleveland beat Toronto to win its fifth successive game -- its longest winning streak in four years.
Carlos Boozer added 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who hadn't won five in a row since December 2000. Cleveland won its 11th road game, its most since 1997-1998 -- the last time the Cavs made the playoffs.
LeBron James added 14 points as Cleveland moved two games ahead of Toronto in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Cavaliers have won 14 of their past 18 games against Eastern opponents.
Vince Carter had 19 points for the Raptors, who have lost four of five.
Lakers 117, Celtics 109
In Boston, Kobe Bryant made a quicker-than-expected return from a shoulder injury, and had 18 points and 10 assists to help the Los Angeles Lakers snap Boston's six-game winning streak.
Shaquille O'Neal had 28 points and 17 rebounds and Gary Payton added 20 points.
Bryant shot just 4-for-16, but he made 10 of 14 free throws and did not seem to be favoring his arm. With his return and the impending return of forward Karl Malone, the bulk of the Lakers roster will be suited up for Friday night's game against Minnesota.
Pistons 98, Bulls 65
In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Chauncey Billups scored 19 points and Rasheed Wallace had 18 as Detroit thrashed Chicago to extend its own NBA record by holding an opponent under 70 points for the fourth straight game.
The Pistons are the first team since the shot clock was implemented in 1954-55 to have a streak of more than two games, and have won the four games by an average of 25 points.
Chicago, which played without center Eddy Curry (thigh), lost its fourth in a row and had a season-low point total. Reserve Kendall Gill led the Bulls with 12 points.
Nets 98, Nuggets 97
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Kenyon Martin scored 28 points and Richard Jefferson added 26 as New Jersey, with Jason Kidd back in the lineup, beat Denver.
Kidd missed four games with a bone bruise of the left knee, and Nets went 2-2 without him. He scored eight points and had 13 assists in 39 minutes.
Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 24 points. Andre Miller had 22 and Nene and Voshon Lenard each had 15.
Martin hit a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left for a four-point lead, and all the Nuggets could manage after that was a 3-pointer by Lenard as time expired.
Bucks 94, Hawks 80
In Milwaukee, Keith Van Horn and Michael Redd each had 23 points as Milwaukee downed Atlanta to snap a three-game losing streak.
Van Horn went 13-of-14 from the free throw line and added 11 rebounds and four steals.
Milwaukee led the entire second half. Atlanta got within seven points when Bobby Sura scored to cut the deficit to 83-76 with 4:50 remaining. But the Hawks would score just four more points, and Milwaukee regained control with a 9-1 run over the next three minutes.
Atlanta's Stephen Jackson, who had scored at least 15 points in his previous 23 games, had 11 against Milwaukee on 3-for-12 shooting.
Hornets 95, Heat 84
In New Orleans, Baron Davis had 33 points and 10 rebounds as New Orleans scored 42 points at the foul line in a win over Miami that snapped the Heat's three-game winning streak.
The Hornets, who had lost four of five coming in, opened the fourth quarter with an 10-1 run to take an 82-72 lead. Miami tried to climb back with eight 3-point attempts in the period, but missed them all.
David Wesley scored 19 points for New Orleans, including all 11 of his foul shots as the Hornets tied a franchise record for free throws in a game. Davis was 14-of-14 from the foul line, and the Hornets were 42-of-46 overall.
Spurs 108, Clippers 90
In San Antonio, Malik Rose had 21 points and 12 rebounds as San Antonio marked Tim Duncan's return with an easy win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The game turned lopsided in the first four minutes as the Spurs, using the same uptempo offense they relied on for six games while Duncan was sidelined with a leg injury, ran out to a 14-3 lead.
Duncan's contribution to that decisive burst was a single assist. His first basket came on a 6.5m jump shot with 10:18 left in the second quarter to make the score 44-18.
Duncan finished with nine points on 4-for-10 shooting and a season-low two rebounds in 15 minutes. He sat out the previous six games after suffering a lower thigh injury Feb. 26 at Dallas.
Jazz 91, Warriors 77
In Salt Lake City, Andrei Kirilenko had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Raja Bell added 15 points as Utah extended Golden State's losing streak to seven successive games.
The Jazz, who shot 59 percent and forced 14 turnovers in the first half, beat the Warriors for the 19th straight time at home.
With Utah's win and Denver's 98-97 loss at New Jersey on Wednesday, the Jazz are a half-game behind the Nuggets for the No. 8 playoff spot in the West. Utah visits Denver on Sunday in the second stop of a five-game road trip.
Jason Richardson led Golden State with 19 points. Mike Dunleavy added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Warriors, who haven't won at Utah since November, 1994.
Trail Blazers 92, Timberwolves 79
In Portland, Oregon, Damon Stoudamire, who drew attention earlier this week for submitting to an impromptu drug test, had 28 points in Portland's win over Minnesota.
It was Portland's second win in its last seven games and moved the Blazers (31-33) one game closer to eighth-place Denver (34-32) and ninth-place Utah (34-33) for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
The Timberwolves, with the league's third-best record, have lost three of their last four. They were playing the second of back-to-back road games after defeating Seattle on Tuesday night.
Portland went ahead 68-54 early in the fourth quarter on Shareef Abdur-Rahim's fadeaway jumper. Two straight 3-pointers from Stoudamire extended the lead to 78-59.
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