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Magic bottoms out at 17 losses

Wire services
Published December 4, 2003

NEW ORLEANS - Baron Davis had 27 points and 12 assists as the Hornets sent the Magic to a franchise record-tying 17th straight loss Wednesday night 106-91.

Tracy McGrady scored 29 for Orlando, which trailed 92-89 before the Hornets finished with a 14-2 run. Ex-Magic player Darrell Armstrong scored 14 off the bench.

Davis, who shot 11-of-29, did ample damage on the drive and fast break, soaring for several dunks, finishing layups as he was fouled and putting in floaters and scoop shots. His assists included a behind-the-back pass and a one-touch, no-look, bounce pass between his legs on a fast break to set up a jumper by Armstrong.

The Magic also lost 17 games from Dec. 4, 1991-Jan. 7, 1992 - the season before drafting Shaquille O'Neal with the top pick.

LAKERS 90, SPURS 86: Kobe Bryant scored 10 of his 21 in the fourth when visiting Los Angeles erased a nine-point deficit to post its third win of the season over San Antonio. The Lakers trailed 71-62 after three quarters but made eight of their final 16 shots. Karl Malone, who finished with 16 points, was 4-of-4 in the fourth while Shaquille O'Neal had five of his nine blocked shots.

The Spurs are 9-10 and have not been below .500 this late in the season since 1996-97 - before the team drafted Tim Duncan. Duncan, returning from a one-game suspension for pushing a referee in Saturday's loss at Golden State, had 30 points and 15 rebounds.

PISTONS 87, HEAT 73: Mehmet Okur had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Ben Wallace added 10 points and a season-high 21 rebounds for host Detroit. Miami's Lamar Odom led all scorers with 22, but made just 11 of a career-high 31 field-goal attempts.

RAPTORS 105, CELTICS 95: Donyell Marshall and Vince Carter each scored 21 and new-look Toronto set a franchise record with 17 3-pointers. The Raptors were 17-of-24 from behind the arc, breaking their record of 15 3-pointers on Nov. 10, 2001 at Utah. Toronto, averaging a league-low 79 points, improved to 2-0 since acquiring Marshall, Jalen Rose and Lonny Baxter from Chicago.

GRIZZLIES 96, NETS 93: James Posey and Pau Gasol scored 19 each as visiting Memphis took advantage of three mistakes by Jason Kidd down the stretch. At 9-8, this is the latest in a season the Grizzlies have been over .500. Kidd missed a free throw and turned the ball over twice in the final 1:56.

WOLVES 92, SUNS 79: Sam Cassell scored 16 of his 27 in the fourth quarter to lead visiting Minnesota. Cassell, with his fourth consecutive 20-point game, also had eight assists and seven rebounds. He shot 5-of-5 in the fourth, three of them 3-pointers. Stephon Marbury scored 32 on 14-for-25 shooting for the Suns, who lost their third straight.

ROCKETS 107, JAZZ 101 (OT): Cuttino Mobley had a season-high 32 points and host Houston opened overtime with a 10-2 run. Matt Harpring and Andrei Kirilenko led the Jazz with 19 points each. Kirilenko made one of two free throws with five seconds left to send it to overtime tied at 94.

SONICS 95, KNICKS 87: Vladimir Radmanovic scored 21, including five 3s, to lead host Seattle. The Knicks were led by 24 points from Allan Houston, 12 in the fourth.

NUGGETS 117, WARRIORS 109: Voshon Lenard had 26 of his career-high 38 points in the first quarter, and Carmelo Anthony added 26 to lead visiting Denver to its fifth straight win.

BLAZERS-GRIZZLIES TRADE: Volatile forward Bonzi Wells was traded by Portland to Memphis for guard Wesley Person and a 2004 first-round draft pick. Wells averages 12.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists this season, but was stripped of his captaincy and suspended two games for cursing at coach Maurice Cheeks.

If the Grizzlies' first-round pick in June is among the top three selections, they will keep it and give the Blazers their top pick in 2005 - provided it is not the overall No. 1. If the selection rolls over to 2006, Portland gets it unconditionally.

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