Fri. 1/27 Magic @ Knicks - Postgame & Comments

NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Some unselfish play by Steve Francis has meant all the difference in the world for the Orlando Magic.

Francis tries to lead the Magic to their season-high sixth straight victory Friday when they visit the New York Knicks, who once again are marred in another losing streak.

Since Orlando suspended its star guard for one game on January 15 for conduct detrimental to the team, Francis has responded upon his reinstatement.

The Magic have not lost since the return of Francis, who is averaging 8.0 assists during the winning streak and is coming off a career-high 15 assists in Thursday's 119-115 overtime win at Philadelphia.

Hedo Turkoglu scored 25 points and Pat Garrity added a season-high 24, including a pair of clutch 3-pointers in overtime, as Orlando surpassed its previous season-best winning streak from November 23-28.

Meanwhile, New York has dropped six straight - one shy of its season-worst losing streak.

The Knicks' latest setback came Wednesday in a 106-102 overtime loss to Sacramento. Stephon Marbury returned to the lineup following a shoulder injury and scored 22 points, while Maurice Taylor added 21 and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, who allowed 17 points in the extra session.

The teams already have met twice this season, with Orlando recording a pair of victories last month. The Magic have won six of their last seven meetings with the Knicks, including three straight here.

Recap:-- The Orlando Magic nearly came all the way back from a 25-point deficit, but Keyon Dooling took one too many steps at a most inopportune time.

Dooling was whistled for traveling with less than a second remaining as the Magic's comeback effort came up just short in a 97-94 setback to the New York Knicks.

Eddy Curry collected 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who erased a six-game skid. Jamal Crawford added 21 points and rookie and fellow reserve Channing Frye 18 for New York, which ended Orlando's season-high five-game winning streak.

Behind 16 points from Curry and 13 from Crawford, the Knicks took a 54-33 lead into halftime. They pushed their advantage to 25 points less than four minutes into the third quarter and still held a 20-point lead early in the fourth period before the Magic stormed back.

Steve Francis scored 14 of his season-high 36 points in the final period for Orlando, pulling the visitors within 93-91 on a dunk with 17 seconds left.

Crawford responded with two free throws a second later, and after Francis threw away the inbounds pass, Stephon Marbury split a pair from the line with 12 seconds left for a five-point cushion.

However, Hedo Turkoglu nailed a 3-pointer to pull Orlando within 96-94 with 2.2 seconds to play. Frye only could split two free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining, giving the Magic a chance to tie.

But Dooling was whistled for taking three steps in Orlando's backcourt with a tenth of a second left, ending any shot the Magic had of tying the game.