Orlando 99, Miami 96
Jason Richardson scored 24 points and ignited a comeback with five second-half 3-point baskets to help rally the Orlando Magic to a 99-96 victory over the host Miami Heat on Thursday.
Richardson had six of Orlando’s 16 3-point baskets as the Magic (40-22) rallied from a 24-point second-half deficit to notch the second-largest comeback in franchise history while winning their fourth straight game.
Chris Bosh and LeBron James each missed game-tying 3-point attempts in the final seven seconds for Miami (43-18).
James scored 29 points and Dwyane Wade added 28 points for the Heat.
Miami led 82-71 early in the fourth quarter before Orlando rolled off 18 consecutive points over a six-minute stretch to take an 89-82 lead. Ryan Anderson’s layup gave Orlando the lead and Richardson and Gilbert Arenas each had two 3-pointers during the run.
The Heat were seemingly in cruise control when they led 73-49 three minutes into the second half. But Orlando cut the lead to 11 points with 2:20 left in the third quarter as Richardson hit three 3-pointers during the Magic’s 17-4 run.
Jameer Nelson scored 16 points, Anderson tallied 15 points and Dwight Howard had 14 points and 18 rebounds for Orlando. The largest comeback in Magic history is 25 points, set in a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 8, 1989.
Bosh scored 13 points for Miami.
Wade (24) and James (23) combined for 47 first-half points as Miami took a 63-45 halftime lead.