Magic host Lakers


Who: Orlando Magic (23-22) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (29-12).
When: 8 p.m., today.
Where: Orlando's TD Waterhouse Centre.
TV, radio: TNT, Sunshine Network; WMEL-AM 920, WDBO-AM 580.
Starters: Orlando -- guards Darrell Armstrong, Tracy McGrady; forwards Mike Miller, Pat Garrity; center Horace Grant. Los Angeles -- guards Lindsey Hunter, Kobe Bryant; forwards Rick Fox, Samaki Walker; center Shaquille O'Neal.
Magic notes: Orlando's three-game winning streak came to an end Sunday in a 106-97 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Orlando opened the game particularly flat and trailed 34-16 after one quarter. The Magic got within eight points in the second half, but their defense let them down time and again. The Magic allowed the Raptors to make 11 of their first 13 shots and shoot 53 percent in the game. . . . Playing guards Darrell Armstrong and Troy Hudson has worked well of late for the Magic. They combined for 35 points and 10 assists against the Miami Heat. On Sunday, they had 33 points and nine assists. . . . Mike Miller, a consistent offensive threat just two weeks ago, has cooled off of late. He has scored just 25 points in the past three games. In those three games, he has made 9 of 29 shots. Also, he has connected on just five of 15 3-pointers. . . . Tracy McGrady was magnificent offensively against the Raptors, scoring 27 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. But his defense against Carter was nonexistent early in the game. . . . Pat Garrity struggled on both ends of the floor against the Raptors. He missed 6 of 7 shots and seemed hesitant to take a couple of open 3-pointers. Defensively, he had no answer for 7-footer Keon Clark, who scored 20 points off the bench.
Lakers notes: The two-time defending champions seem to have lost interest of late, losing to several inferior teams. Los Angeles headed into Tuesday's game in Atlanta having lost six of their past 10 games. Four of those losses have come to Chicago, Miami, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers. . . . Los Angeles is just 11-8 on the road so far this season. . . . Former Orlando center Shaquille O'Neal continues to haunt the Magic. In Los Angeles' 108-95 defeat of Orlando in November, O'Neal had 38 points, 18 rebounds and four blocked shots. Last season against the Magic, he averaged 35 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks a game. . . . Kobe Bryant missed one of the meetings against the Magic last season because of a sprained knee. In the game in Orlando, he made 5 of 17 shots and was held to 16 points. . . . The Lakers have defeated the Magic five consecutive times. Orlando's last win against the Lakers was February 1998, O'Neal's first game back in Orlando since leaving as a free agent. . . . Veteran shooting guard Mitch Richmond has been a disappointment and has fallen out of the regular rotation. He is playing 11.3 minutes a game, and his shooting percentage has dipped to 39.7 percent.
Next for the Magic: Friday, at Detroit Pistons, 8 p.m. (Sunshine Network).