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  Sunday, Apr. 16 12:30pm ET
Loss means Magic must beat Bucks Monday
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

MIAMI (AP) -- Tim Hardaway limped off the court late in the first quarter and was carried to the locker room, pain and disappointment evident on his face. His teammates wore the same expression after the game.

The Miami Heat clinched their fourth consecutive Atlantic Division title Sunday by beating the Orlando Magic 95-84, but Hardaway's latest injury left the champions in no mood to celebrate.

Anthony Carter
Miami's Anthony Carter, right, finds the path to the hoop blocked by Ben Wallace.

Hardaway, who had missed the previous two games with inflammation in his left foot, returned to the lineup but lasted only eight minutes. He sprained his right ankle, briefly departed, then pulled up hurting and left again with 1:14 to go in the first quarter.

Hardaway slumped on the bench before teammate Dan Majerle and trainer Ron Culp carried him to the locker room. He didn't return.

Culp said the latest injury was only a slight sprain in Hardaway's left foot, unrelated to the inflammation caused by a condition known as plantar fasciaitis.

Alonzo Mourning feared the injury might sideline Hardaway for the playoffs, which begin next weekend.

"It didn't look too good," Mourning said. "We'll probably be without one of our players. It's going to be a tough loss for us."

Sunday's game was a tough loss for the Magic, who fell into a tie with Milwaukee in the race for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks, who hold the tiebreaker advantage, play at Orlando on Monday.

"We have to have that game, or our season is over," forward Pat Garrity said.

Magic coach Doc Rivers expects the home crowd to create a raucous atmosphere for the showdown.

"We need some love," he said. "I want a lot of people and noise there."

There wasn't much atmosphere Sunday after a power outage delayed the start of the game 2 hours, 6 minutes. The arena was only half-full when the game finally began at 2:46 p.m. ET.

"It was pitch black in the locker room," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "We were sitting there listening to each other breathe. It was sort of like camping out."

Hardaway was gone from the arena and did not speak with reporters after the game. Riley said his status is day-to-day, and the veteran guard will surely be held out of the final two regular-season games.

The accomplishment of winning the division again is no cause for gloating, Riley said.

"It doesn't mean much, because we know what it means," he said. The past two years, Miami has been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

If Hardaway is out, he'll be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Anthony Carter, who scored 15 points to lead a strong effort by the bench against Orlando.

Riley improved his record to 998-432 in 18 seasons. If the Heat win their final two regular-season games, he'll join Lenny Wilkens as the only coaches to reach the 1,000-victory milestone.

The Heat appeared headed for their fourth consecutive loss until three baskets by Clarence Weatherspoon sparked a 21-7 run that put them ahead to stay, 73-67. Orlando closed to 79-74 with 6:49 left but then went nearly five minutes without a point.

"We collapsed in the fourth quarter," said Darrell Armstrong, who scored 16 points for the Magic. "This is too good a story to let get away. We have to find a way to win Monday."

Game notes
Rivers was upset by a ruling that set the shot clock to just five seconds when his team had the ball. "That's not fair! That's not fair!" he shouted. Armstrong then hit a jumper. "That's fair!" Rivers shouted. "That's fair!" ... Miami improved to 32-8 at home, a franchise record for victories. ... Miami won the season series 3-1, although Orlando handed the Heat one of their worst losses, 94-69 on March 26. ... The Magic are averaging 17.5 turnovers per game, the most in the NBA.
 


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RECAPS
Miami 95
Orlando 84

Charlotte 105
Boston 102

Portland 102
Sacramento 95

Toronto 85
Chicago 84

LA Lakers 101
Minnesota 95

Atlanta 104
Cleveland 101

Dallas 114
Vancouver 106

Indiana 112
Detroit 101

Seattle 121
Houston 112

Utah 96
Phoenix 82