Magic 103, 76ers 98
Nikola Vucevic recorded 31 points and 14 rebounds for his 34th double-double of the season as Orlando edged visiting Philadelphia to extend its winning streak to a season-high three games.
Victor Oladipo contributed 17 points, including two clinching free throws with 17 seconds remaining, and Willie Green matched his season high with 16 for the Magic. Channing Frye had 15 points while rookie Elfrid Payton added 10 to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists for Orlando.
JaKarr Sampson registered 14 of his career-best 16 points in the fourth quarter and Robert Covington also scored 16 for the 76ers, who turned the ball over 21 times. Isaiah Canaan chipped in with 14 points in his Philadelphia debut and Hollis Thompson added 12 as the 76ers drained 13-of-34 from 3-point range.
Sampson’s 3-pointer brought the 76ers within 81-79 with 9:30 left before Oladipo made one from behind the arc and followed it up with a layup to ignite a 10-0 spurt. Sampson had all nine during a 9-2 run to pull Philadelphia within 96-95, but the Magic answered with the next five – capped by a Vucevic dunk with 47.5 seconds to go – and they held on.
Vucevic scored five and Green capped the burst with a dunk as the Magic countered with 15 of the final 17 points for a 55-47 edge at intermission. Canaan’s 3-pointer gave the 76ers the lead 4:04 into the second half, but Vucevic scored seven as the Magic ran off 12 of the next 15 and later took a 76-69 lead into the fourth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Frye scored 12 in the first quarter on 5-of-5 shooting, including two from behind the arc. … Orlando F Tobias Harris returned after missing the last three games with a sore knee and contributed four points in 25 minutes. … Philadelphia F Jerami Grant scored seven points in the first half before leaving with a lower back contusion and did not return.