T-Mac attack

Magic guard Tracy McGrady was averaging 36 points and 8.4 rebounds in five games before the matchup against Portland.

With 40 point against Atlanta on Dec. 8 and 47 against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, McGrady became the first Orlando player since Shaquille O'Neal (1994-95) with consecutive 40-point games.

Growing pains

First-year Portland coach Maurice Cheeks has a fan in Orlando's Doc Rivers, who can relate to the struggles of a rookie coach. He was one himself a few years back.

"It's a process in which you are trying to impose your new ideas, and it's not going to hit overnight," Rivers said.

"It's going to take time. They key to that is to stay the course. My first year I went through that eight-game losing streak, but I didn't change a thing. I kept preaching what I had been preaching.