This was a day in which the Magic improved its No. 5 position in the NBA East's playoff seedings and secured a tiebreaker advantage should it have to face the Sixers in the opening round of the postseason.

This was a day in which the Magic allowed the Sixers four points in the final 3 minutes, 35 seconds, no field goals in the last 2: 31.

This was a day in which the Sixers missed their final six shots from the floor, including Allen Iverson's jumper from the right baseline with 8 seconds to go and Eric Snow's desperation jumper with three ticks left. Snow, who drained nine of his first 13 shots in a 20-point performance, missed four of his last five.

"We're not trying to disrespect Philly," Magic guard Darrell Armstrong said. "This was a big game for both teams, and we still have to play them again. We're trying to work our way up, get homecourt advantage [against more teams]; all we're trying to do is play hard and win games.

"Right now, we just match up with them; right now, we feel we can play with them. But I'm not going to say we have their number, because I don't like saying stuff like that. That's like saying a team can't beat you, and you can be beaten any night in the NBA."

Sadly, the Sixers were ripe for the moment. Starting small forward Matt Harpring, bothered by flulike symptoms, was out for the first time all season. Aaron Mc-Kie, struggling with a bone bruise on his left ankle, was out for the 20th time in 23 games. And Derrick Coleman, attempting to play with a hyperextended left knee, was limited to 25 minutes, sitting out the last 18:07.

"They've just got our number right now," Iverson said after contributing 39 points, 10 assists and three steals in the full 48 minutes.

Could be. The Magic has swept the last six meetings - all three this season - between the teams, and yesterday ended a four-game losing streak on the road.

"I'll say it - they're a great ballclub, but for some reason we have their number," the Magic's Tracy McGrady said after putting together 29 points, eight rebounds and a career-high 13 assists. "Iverson was saying [earlier in the week] how we think we've got their number, but we really don't; we tossed it up today, we got this win. That's why we celebrated."