Mon Dec 31 17:55:03 2007

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Turkoglu provides game-winner in OT for Orlando

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Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Hedo Turkoglu scored 17 points, including the game-winning basket with seventh-tenths of a second left in overtime as the Orlando Magic defeated the Chicago Bulls, 112-110, at the United Center.

With the game tied at 110 and eight seconds left in the extra period, Orlando called time out to draw up a play. Turkoglu took the inbound pass, dribbled to the left baseline and drilled the shot from medium range. Ben Wallace's desperation heave at the buzzer fell well short and the Magic hung on for the victory.

Turkoglu shot 7-of-19 from the field, but only 2-of-7 from three-point range. Jameer Nelson had a team-high 22 points off the bench for Orlando, which has won four straight. Dwight Howard chipped in with 17 points and 22 rebounds, while Rashard Lewis had 19 points in the win. Keith Bogans and Carlos Arroyo each had 14 points for the Magic.

Ben Gordon had a game-high 39 points for the Bulls, who had a brief two-game winning streak halted. Luol Deng had 21 points and seven boards, while Andres Nocioni had 19 points off the bench in defeat.

With the game tied at 96 after four quarters and heading into overtime, the see-saw theme continued as it had for most of the contest. Deng's two free throws tied the game at 105 with 1:56 left in OT, but Howard made one of two from the line to give Orlando the one-point lead.

After Gordon's jumper gave the Bulls the slim lead, Nelson's layup with 26 seconds left put the Magic back in front 108-107. Bogans was then fouled and made both from the charity stripe to extend the visitors' lead to three, but following a Bulls' time out, Gordon's three-ball tied the game at 110 prior to Turkoglu's game-winning basket.

Both teams played it close to the best in the early-going and following a jumper by Turkoglu with one tick left in the opening quarter the Bulls held a 30-29 lead heading into the second.

Orlando took a 40-37 lead with 6:56 left in the first half after a running jump shot by Nelson, but Chicago ripped off eight in a row to take a 45-40 advantage at the 4:26 mark following a jumper by Gordon. Joe Smith made one of two free throws with no time on the clock and the Bulls took a 55-48 lead into the intermission.

Kirk Hinrich's three-point play put the Bulls up 60-51 early in the period. However, Howard's bucket with 2:14 left tied the contest at 71. Both teams continued to go back-and-forth and Nocioni's jump shot with 40 seconds left in the third cut the Chicago deficit to 77-75 after three.

Both teams continued to exchange leads for most of the fourth and with the contest tied at 91 and 3:08 remaining, the Bulls ran off three in a row, taking a 94-91 lead after Ben Wallace's lay in, but the Magic tied it with 36 seconds left when Nelson dropped two free throws.

Following an Orlando defensive stop, the Magic had a chance to win it with 12 ticks left, but Turkoglu missed a layup and Howard couldn't hit the follow and the game went into overtime.

Game Notes

Attendance was 22,126...Chicago will play at Charlotte on Wednesday night, while Orlando will host New Jersey...The Magic made 49.4 percent of their shots, while the Bulls made 43.3 percent from the field.