76ers 96, Magic 87
ORLANDO -- Rookie center Jahlil Okafor scored 20 points and reserve forward Hollis Thompson had 17 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 96-87 victory over the Orlando Magic Wednesday night.
The lowly Sixers (6-38) may have the worst record in the NBA, but they have won two of their last three games. The Magic (20-21) have lost eight of their last nine.
Sixers reserve Isaiah Canaan, a guard, and Jerami Grant, a forward, had 15 and 12 points, respectively. Guard Ish Smith had 13 points and a game-high 11 assists.
The Magic were led by point guard Elfrid Payton, who had 21 points and 10 assists. Center Nikola Vucevic had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and forward Tobias Harris had 15 points and10 rebounds.
The Magic never led in the second half and never got closer than four points in the fourth quarter. Canaan had five points in the final three minutes to seal the victory.
Canaan hit a 3-pointer for a 92-85 lead with 2:46 remaining, and Okafor scored to make it 94-85.
The Sixers took an 81-71 lead into the final period, capitalizing on a 33-point third period that included 11 from Grant.
Starting Philadelphia forward Nerlens Noel sprained his left ankle in the first half. He returned to the game, but then sat out the entire second half. He finished with four points and eight rebounds.
Grant started the second half in place of Noel and scored nine quick points to give the Sixers a 66-55 lead. He had 11 in the third period.
Okafor had 14 points by halftime, which ended with the 76ers holding a 47-46 lead. Smith had 11 points in the first two quarters.
The Magic led by as many as 10 points early, but the Sixers closed the first period with an 11-0 run for a 23-21 lead, despite committing six turnovers in those first 12 minutes.
Vucevic had 12 points and eight rebounds before intermission. Payton had 11 points and four assists.
The Sixers closed the first half with a 3-pointer by Canaan and a short jumper by Okafor.
NOTES: Magic G Victor Oladipo missed his second consecutive game with a sprained right knee. In his previous five games, he averaged 20 points and shot 60 percent from 3-point range. ... The Sixers were without G Nik Stauskas for the third consecutive game because of a bruised left shoulder. ... Sixers PF/C Nerlens Noel blocked 16 shots in the previous five games. ... Magic F Channing Frye said before the game that he figured out what the team was lacking. "I think we need a little more swaggy, if I could use that word after being over 30," Fry said. ... A victory over the Magic would have given the Sixers their first win this season against a team in the Eastern Conference. ... The Magic used the occasion to announce a $1 million donation to be spread across 18 different charities in central Florida. ... Journeyman Ish Smith has found a home with the Sixers, averaging 16.8 points and 8.3 assists in 12 games. In the three games before Wednesday, he averaged 23.2 points.