LOS ANGELES, 27 December 2003 — The Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t stop Orlando Magic star Tracy McGrady but an unintentional hit to the face slowed down their prize rookie LeBron James.

McGrady scored six of his 41 points in overtime and assisted on three of Juwan Howard’s four baskets in the extra session, sparking the Magic past the visiting Cavaliers, 113-101 on Thursday.

McGrady put on his third straight Christmas Day show following a 43-point effort over Indiana in 2001 and a 46-point performance against Detroit last year.

“I don’t know what it is about Christmas,” said McGrady, who made 15-of-29 shots, to go along with eight rebounds and 11 assists. “It seems like there’s nothing else really going on. Everybody is watching and wanting to see the match-up between me and LeBron. I was ready for the challenge.”

James, 18, showed why he was chosen the No. 1 pick in last summer’s NBA Draft right out of high school with a 34-point, six-assist effort.

“LeBron is unbelievable,” said McGrady in their first career match-up. “He’s just not ground by the hype. If he continues to work hard and stay hungry, it could be ugly. It’s scary how good he really could be.”

Howard scored 19 points for Orlando, (8-22) which helped to bring the team to 7-3 following a franchise-record 19-game losing streak.

“It’s another step for us as we try to rebuild and restore what’s important to us, which is to have respectability in the NBA and to win basketball games,” Magic interim head coach Johnny Davis said.

Carlos Boozer had 18 points and 19 rebounds for Cleveland, which was denied its first four-game winning streak in two seasons. “We are coming together as a team,” James said. “We know what to do down the stretch and are able to withstand their runs. We have had opportunities to win at the end of regulation.”

The young player’s star continued to rise, as he matched McGrady throughout the contest. James made 13-of-28 shots but went 0-4 and turned the ball over once in overtime after taking an unintentional shot in the face by McGrady on a drive to the basket late in regulation. “I got hit in the eye,” James explained. With James slowed, McGrady utilized his versatility in the extra period. Three times he spotted Howard, who netted Orlando’s first eight points in overtime.

McGrady iced the game with a pair of three-pointers with 65 seconds left.

Elsewhere:

Rockets 99, Lakers 87:

Steve Francis collected 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Yao Ming and Jim Jackson added 18 points apiece, helping the visiting Rockets bounce the listless Lakers.

The Rockets had their 13-point halftime cushion trimmed to 80-79 midway through the fourth quarter. Cuttino Mobley (15 points) and reserve Moochie Nooris nailed consecutive 3-pointers to spark a decisive 10-1, that pushed the margin to 90-80 with just over four minutes left to play.

Kobe Bryant had 23 points but just two in the fourth quarter as the slumping Lakers, (20-7), fell to 2-4 following a 10-game winning streak. Shaquille O’Neal finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

O’Neal outscored and outrebounded Yao Ming in their individual matchup, but the Chinese star had the last laugh on O’Neal as his side won. The Lakers have lost 4-of-6 following a 10-game win streak. The defeat was only their second at home in the past 10 months.

Mavericks 111, Kings 103:

Dirk Nowitzki had 31 points and 14 rebounds and Antoine Walker’s hit the go-ahead 3-pointer — his fifth of the game — with 1:04 left, helping the Mavericks overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to stun their near-invincible host Kings.

With the game knotted at 103-apiece, Walker and Michael Finley nailed back-to-back 3-pointers, to ignite an 8-0 closing run that snapped Dallas’ four-game slide.

Walker had 23 points, along with 12 rebounds and eight assists for the Mavericks’ fifth win in their last six regular-season games at Sacramento. Antawn Jamison added 22 points.

Mike Bibby scored 23 points and Vlade Divac added 21 as Sacramento, (20-7), fell to 15-2 at home.

The Kings played without their leading scorer Peja Stojakovic, who had a career-high 41 points on Tuesday night, but was given a one-game suspension for brushing into an official.