Duncan’s 47 sends Magic to another loss

The Magic set a franchise record for futility with the loss, passing its 17-game winless streak from the 1991-1992 season.

Rasho Nesterovic pitched in with 12 points and eight rebounds for the Spurs, who ended a season-high four-game losing streak.

Tracy McGrady had 28 points for the Magic and Drew Gooden had 23 with 15 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season and third in a row.

Juwan Howard tied the game at 87 with a turnaround jumper 4:25 into the final stanza. But Duncan and Tony Parker each had four points over the next 3:24 to spark a 10-1 run and put the game out of reach for the Spurs.

The Magic shot 5-of-21 in the fourth quarter, while Duncan had six of the Spurs’ final eight points to seal the win.

Trailing 55-44 at the half, things started to look positive for the Magic when they came out strong in the second half with a 27-8 run to take a 71-63 lead with 4:32 to go in third.

But Ron Mercer kept the Spurs in it when he ran off seven straight points against his former team to start the fourth quarter putting San Antonio back on top 82-80.

The Spurs led by as many as 18 in the first half, as they went on a 27-7 run that made it 51-33.