The Orlando Magic needed some rest and the Washington Wizards were a mess when the two teams met for the first time this season three weeks ago.

But their game tonight may be every bit as captivating as the Magic's 96-87 victory Dec. 1 at Washington was not.

Michael Jordan's first visit to the TD Waterhouse Centre, which was still called the Orlando Arena when he retired from the Chicago Bulls in 1998, is no longer the only attraction. Jordan and the Wizards are riding a seven-game winning streak, and their 103-76 rout Wednesday night of the Atlanta Hawks afforded the 38-year-old superstar the luxury of playing a season-low 27 minutes.

Jordan won't be alone in coming into the game rejuvenated. Coach Doc Rivers gave the Magic time off Thursday after they defeated the Utah Jazz 98-90, despite Tracy McGrady's absence due to a strained lower back.

It was the third time in four days that the Magic did not practice. Their day off Tuesday was described by Rivers as "the single best thing I've done so far this year as a coach," because it kept Darrell Armstrong from tiring during the third and fourth quarters against the Jazz.

Armstrong had 15 of his 24 points and six of his nine assists after halftime and did not commit a turnover in 21 minutes.

"We're probably going to do that more and more for the time being because we need Darrell to play more minutes," Rivers said. "And we need Darrell to get rest. And there's nothing I can do in our hour-and-a-half and some change (at practice) that we're going to do the next day anyway."

McGrady was told by Magic management to remain in Atlanta, where he is receiving therapy from a back specialist, through the weekend. With their leading scorer and top defender absent, the Magic will probably put Monty Williams on Jordan at the start of the game.

"I won't be silly and say all kinds of silly things like the rest of these guys have been saying this season," Williams said, referring to NBA players who have relished the thought of facing an older and slower Jordan. "I'm just going to bring my work hat and be ready to play."

Last time, Jordan scored only 15 points in 33 minutes against the Magic, partly because he was bothered by an inflamed right knee. After he sat out the Wizards' next game, Dec. 4 at San Antonio, Washington started the winning streak.

But Jordan hasn't carried the scoring load while the Wizards have reeled off seven consecutive victories for only the second time since 1990, when the franchise was still known as the Bullets. Second-year guard Richard Hamilton is averaging more than 25 points a game during a run that has included four wins on the road (Houston, Dallas, Memphis and Toronto).

"Michael already has accomplished what he wanted to accomplish this season, as far as I'm concerned," Rivers said. "Now you have Richard Hamilton playing hard. Now you have Jahidi White and (Brendan) Haywood playing hard.

"I don't know if he came back to be a great player, but he is. But I know he came back to teach the young people on his team how to play hard. And he's done that."

Haywood, whom the Magic traded to the Wizards last summer for the since-waived Laron Profit, leads all rookies in blocked shots per game while No. 1 draft pick Kwame Brown has largely languished on coach Doug Collins' bench.

The Magic's victory Wednesday marked the second December in a row in which they won their first game after learning Grant Hill would need to undergo season-ending surgery on his left ankle. But Williams refuted the notion that their experience at playing without Hill works to their advantage.

"It works against us because we want him on the court so bad," he said. "But at the same time, we've got a job to do. And I'm pretty sure nobody feels sorry for us, especially after everybody picked us to win the East."