Magic are third team to retire Shaq’s jersey
Shaquille O’Neal was Orlando’s first in lots of ways. First No. 1 overall draft pick. First player to make an AllStar team in a Magic uniform. First rookie of the year. First All-NBA selection. And the first big-time superstar to leave the franchise.
It’s that last part that he figured might cost him.
O’Neal never thought that the Magic would raise his jersey to the rafters of their arena. But he was wrong, and on Tuesday night, Orlando retired O’Neal’s No. 32 — another first for the team and its first star.
“You know, there’s an old saying: never forget where you come from,” O’Neal said. “And my professional career started here. I’ve been living here mostly all my life. The fans have been hospitable. The people have been very, very hospitable. I never thought this day would happen.”
The Magic, who are celebrating their 35th season, drafted O’Neal No. 1 overall in 1992. They’ve never retired a number for a player, but decided their anniversary season was the right time.
O’Neal — who has No. 34 retired by the Lakers and No. 32 retired by the Miami Heat — is the third player to have his jersey retired by three franchises, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich.
Later in the game, Jalen Williams scored 33 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 32 points and five assists and Oklahoma City beat Orlando, 127-113.
Kevin Durant scored 28 points, Devin Booker added 25 and Phoenix outlasted visiting Sacramento. The Suns erased an 11-point deficit in the third quarter to take a 94-92 lead going into the fourth. Eric Gordon and the recently acquired Royce O’Neale hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the final period to push Phoenix ahead 103-94.
SUNS 130, KINGS 125 »
Jayson Tatum had 41 points and 14 rebounds, and Boston won its fifth straight game by beating Brooklyn in the opener of a home-andhome series. Jaylen Brown added 19 points for the Celtics, who improved to 42-12.
CELTICS 118, NETS 110 » TIMBERWOLVES 121, BLAZERS 109 »
Anthony Edwards had 41 points and Minnesota handed host Portland its fifth straight loss.
Nikola Jovic scored a career-high 24 points, Bam Adebayo had his second triple-double of the season and Miami rolled to an easy victory at Milwaukee.
HEAT 123, BUCKS 97 » KNICKS PROTESTING LOSS »
The New York Knicks are filing a protest of their loss in Houston that ended on a foul call officials said was incorrect, a person with knowledge of the details said Tuesday.
The Rockets beat the Knicks 105-103 on Monday after Aaron Holiday made two free throws with 0.3 seconds remaining after he was fouled by Jalen Brunson behind the 3-point arc. Crew chief Ed Malloy said after the game that the contact between the players was marginal and no foul should have been called.