ORLANDO, Fla. -- One of Michael Jordan's better games of the season wasn't enough to overcome a terrific performance from a younger star.
Jordan had 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in his final regular-season appearance in Orlando, but Tracy McGrady scored 32 points as the Magic won for the fifth time in six games by beating the Washington Wizards 112-95 Monday night.
"T-Mac came and he started guarding me and I started guarding him, so right there it was a challenge," Jordan said. "I enjoyed it, I'm pretty sure he did, and we competed hard."
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| Washington Wizards guard Michael Jordan, left, drives to the basket against Orlando Magic guard Tracy McGrady in the first half in Orlando, Fla., Monday, Dec. 30, 2002. (AP) |
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Jordan told as much to McGrady though a unique message that will give the league's leading scorer a head start in filling the retiring superstar's shoes. As he exited the arena, McGrady held a pair of autographed Air Jordans that read, "Enjoyed the challenge. Good luck and stay healthy."
"I might look at these shoes every day before I walk out of the house," said McGrady, who scored 30 or more points for the 16th time this season.
The Magic also got 21 points off the bench from Pat Garrity while Mike Miller added 20 with seven rebounds. Darrell Armstrong had eight points and 11 assists, leading the Magic's reserves to a 47-23 scoring edge over Washington's.
The Magic shot 52.6 percent and scored 44 points in the paint for their best offensive output in a month.
"We tried to take away their inside game, we tried to force them to take shots moving, not to let them stand still," Jordan said. "They surround T-Mac with four great shooters, you try to take penetration away from him and force those guys to make big shots. Tonight, they made them."
Jerry Stackhouse scored 18 points but made just 4 of 15 shots for the Wizards, who have dropped four of their last five. Washington shot 48.5 percent, but turned the ball over 19 times and was outrebounded 38-27.
Holding the Wizards under 100 points won the Magic two days off, courtesy of a bet coach Doc Rivers offered the team during a break in the action during the third quarter.
"Boy, everybody's eyes lit up," Armstrong said. "Two days off, with the Citrus Bowl in town."
Jordan was quiet early after receiving a brief but loud standing ovation during pregame introductions. His first points came on a jumper with 10:26 left before halftime.
Those were the first of eight straight points for Jordan, six on fadeaways from the right wing, as Washington cut its deficit to 37-34.
But Orlando then took off on a 13-2 run, with McGrady and Garrity each scoring five points, to establish a 14-point lead. From there, Washington could never cut the deficit to less than six points.
Jordan didn't have many highlights in the second half, aside from a breakaway dunk that brought the Wizards within 60-54.
The worst moment came when Armstrong stripped him of the ball -- just like Nick Anderson did in Game 1 of the 1995 conference finals -- for a fastbreak three-point play by Garrity. That gave Orlando an 88-74 lead with 10:28 remaining.
For seventh time this season, the Magic were without Grant Hill because of chronic tendinitis in his left ankle.
The team will consult with medical specialists this week to find "a light at the end of the tunnel," general manager John Gabriel said.
The Magic received a brief scare in the first period when McGrady hobbled to the locker room after rolling an ankle when he collided with teammate Jacque Vaughn. But he missed less than two minutes of action, and scored 10 points in the quarter.
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