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Magic outgun Kings to stop skid

Mar 7, 2015 - 5:24 AM Orlando, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Tobias Harris buried a go-ahead 3-pointer with 28.9 seconds left to help lift the Orlando Magic to a 119-114 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Minus leading scorer Nikola Vucevic due to an ankle injury, the Magic had several players step up in halting a four-game losing streak. None was bigger than Victor Oladipo, who poured in 32 points, came up with five steals, and dished out his 10th assist of the game on Harris' big shot.

Channing Frye chipped in 22 points and 10 rebounds for Orlando. Harris added 19 points and rookie Elfrid Payton delivered 12 assists along with 10 points.

The Kings received 39 points from Rudy Gay and a huge effort from DeMarcus Cousins as well, but couldn't get enough stops against an Orlando team that shot 56.5 percent from the field and made 13-of-24 attempts from beyond the arc.

"I don't think we were aggressive enough on on-ball defense," said Cousins, who scored 29 points while pulling down 12 rebounds. "It kind of got those guys going, especially Victor and Payton. We let them penetrate, they made plays with the penetration."

Sacramento battled back from an 18-point third-quarter deficit to take its first lead of the night on Nik Stauskas' corner 3 that made the score 100-99 with 6:45 left. The Magic countered with six straight points, but Andre Miller's triple and Gay's layup and free throw with 2:52 remaining had the Kings back up by one.

Oladipo scored inside on the ensuing possession and Frye followed with a 3- pointer to give Orlando a 110-106 edge, but the Kings' Omri Casspi was fouled from beyond the arc with his team down by two with 32.7 seconds left. He calmly sank all three shots for a 111-110 lead.

The Magic then called time out before Oladipo drew in the Kings' defense and kicked the ball out to the corner, where a wide-open Harris swished through a 23-footer.

"That's about trust, and that's about trust that we have as a team, (our) chemistry," Harris said. "Victor was having a great game, and he trusts me to make that shot."

Cousins couldn't get his shot underneath to fall on Sacramento's next trip, and Orlando held on by making six free throws in the final six seconds.

The Magic had opened up a sizeable early lead by shooting a scorching 72.7 percent in the first quarter. Oladipo put up 13 points for the period, which ended with Orlando owning a 35-26 advantage.

Orlando increased its margin in the second quarter, with Oladipo netting the first six points of a 9-2 run Frye capped with a triple that extended the lead to 61-46 with under 3 1/2 minutes to go in the half.

Gay, who had 20 points prior to the break, was able to help Sacramento close within 68-57 at intermission. However, the Magic began the second half on a 10-3 flurry to extend the differential to 78-60.

Sacramento finished the third quarter strong, though, coming through with a 13-3 spurt that Gay finished with a 3-pointer that trimmed the deficit to 92-86 entering the fourth. A 9-2 run early in the final frame got the Kings within two at 97-95.

Game Notes

Oladipo was coming off a career-high 38-point performance Wednesday against Phoenix ... In addition to Vucevic sitting out, the Magic played without guard Willie Green due to a sore Achilles ... The Kings had been 3-0 under new head coach George Karl when scoring 100 or more points ... Sacramento had prevailed in its last three visits to Orlando, which last beat the Kings at home during the 2009-10 season.