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DWIGHT HOWARD VICTORIOUS IN DUEL WITH O'NEAL
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March 3, 2009
- Dwight Howard made Shaquille O'Neal run. He made him fall. Then he got the ultimate vindication: he made him flop.
Howard had 21 points and eight rebounds in a bruising battle with O'Neal, and the Orlando Magic beat the Phoenix Suns
111-99 on Tuesday night. "I was shocked, seriously, shocked,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said of O'Neal's flopping.
"And very disappointed cause he knows what it's like. Lets stand up and play like men, and I think our guy did that
tonight.'' Rashard Lewis had 29 points and Hedo Turkoglu scored 22 for the Magic, who overcame a season-high 24 turnovers.
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"I'm really too old to be trying to outscore 18-year-olds,'' O'Neal said, referring to the 23-year-old Howard.
"It's not really my role anymore.'' Jason Richardson had 27 points, and Steve Nash added 20 points for Phoenix
after missing the last three games with a sprained right ankle. But it was the past and present Magic big men who
mixed it up most of the night. With nearly 600 pounds of All-Stars banging on the inside, bodies were flying. On
one play in the third quarter Howard backed down O'Neal, sent him to the floor flopping and dunked over the 325-pounder
while O'Neal rolled under Rafer Alston and Matt Barnes, wiping them out like bowling pins. The back-and-forth jostling
wasn't just physical. The two were trash-talking throughout, with each turning up the lip - and the intensity - after every dunk.
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. SUNS
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The two have long been self-described Superman, with O'Neal claiming he was Orlando's first man of steel.
O'Neal also has played down Howard's performances, saying he hasn't done anything new in Orlando and that
he has four more championships than the still up-and-coming Howard. Howard admitted the words fueled motivation,
even taking a slight jab at O'Neal's age. "I think he was really just trying to get in my head,'' Howard said.
"I respect my elders, so I'm not going to get into a war of words.'' Howard came out in the third with force,
scoring eight points before picking up his fourth foul with 3:36 remaining in the period. O'Neal would return
the favor, dunking twice in the period to put the Suns ahead 81-78 at the end of the third. - NBA.com
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DWIGHT HOWARD HOLDS OFF WADE IN MAGIC'S WIN OVER HEAT
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February 22, 2009
- Dwight Howard had 32 points and 17 rebounds, and the Magic withstood a career-high 50 points by Dwyane Wade to rout the Miami Heat 122-99 on Sunday.
Nelson has since had season-ending surgery, and the Magic are counting on Alston to fill the void. "When you have a dominant center like Dwight, my job
is not as tough as it may seem,'' Alston said. "But I know it's tough because we're a contending team, and the point guard has to be rock solid out there.''
He had them rolling from the start against Miami. Driving and dishing from all angles, Alston had seven assists and a pair of 3-pointers in the opening
quarter. Howard converted a three-point play after a powerful dunk over Wade and Udonis Haslem, the last of 13 straight points by the Magic to open up a
27-12 lead early. Howard's 15 points in the quarter just about canceled out all the acrobatic shots Wade had en route to 16 points in the period.
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For the Heat, their newest members didn't give them much. Jermaine O'Neal and Jamario Moon were smothered,
combining for just 13 points as the Magic overpowered Miami's big men to win the rebounding battle 53-28.
The pair was acquired from Toronto on Friday, with O'Neal expected to give Miami the inside presence it has
lacked since trading Shaquille O'Neal last year. But matching up against Howard - perhaps the league's best
big man - was too much, and the Heat again leaned heavily on Wade. "If you can't be in a game and he scores
50, there's some concerns,'' Spoelstra said. "It's the level of play. They were sharp and they were playing
with great energy at the start and we didn't match that.''
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. HEAT
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A day after Nelson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery and Alston was acquired in a trade with Houston, the Magic toyed with
the Bobcats and bounced back from their worst loss of the season two nights earlier at New Orleans to win their 40th game. Hedo
Turkoglu scored 24 points and Rashard Lewis added 18 for the Magic, who seemed to quickly get comfortable with their new playmaker.
While not the scorer Nelson is - he scored three points on 1-of-9 shooting - Alston committed only one turnover despite knowing only
a few plays. "He's a pass first, then shoot guy,'' Turkoglu said. "He was good tonight, creating a lot of good stuff for everybody.''
The same can't be said for Charlotte's backcourt, which was scolded by coach Larry Brown after a dismal performance ahead of a five-game
road trip. - NBA.com
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DWIGHT HOWARD BEATS DRAFT CLASS RIVAL OKAFOR
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February 20, 2009
- Sloppiness, poor shooting and Emeka Okafor's early foul trouble against draft-class nemesis Dwight Howard doomed
Charlotte, which had won three of four. "Hopefully this will be a good lesson for us because they execute,'' Brown
said. "I was telling Emeka, I don't know how many screens Dwight Howard set in that game. When Dwight Howard is guarding
us, he doesn't guard anybody. He guards the rim. Just imagine if our center set screens.'' After scoring a career-high
45 points against Charlotte Tuesday, Howard took only eight shots and finished with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Howard's
big miscue was when he inadvertently hit Lewis in the face late in the game. Lewis was woozy and didn't return, but the
Magic were confident he was fine.
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A little over two hours after officially becoming a member of the Orlando Magic, Rafer Alston checked into the game, surveyed
the floor and liked what he saw. "Everywhere I looked, I had a weapon to pass it to,'' Alston said after recording eight assists
and helping his new team rout the Charlotte Bobcats 92-80 on Friday night. "I think point guards in this league would love to be
in that situation,'' he added. "Everywhere you turn, you've got a guy who can flat-out shoot it or can drive it and finish.'' The
Magic are also happy the veteran point guard made a solid first impression as the replacement for All-Star Jameer Nelson.
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. BOBCATS
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A day after Nelson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery and Alston was acquired in a trade with Houston, the Magic toyed with
the Bobcats and bounced back from their worst loss of the season two nights earlier at New Orleans to win their 40th game. Hedo
Turkoglu scored 24 points and Rashard Lewis added 18 for the Magic, who seemed to quickly get comfortable with their new playmaker.
While not the scorer Nelson is - he scored three points on 1-of-9 shooting - Alston committed only one turnover despite knowing only
a few plays. "He's a pass first, then shoot guy,'' Turkoglu said. "He was good tonight, creating a lot of good stuff for everybody.''
The same can't be said for Charlotte's backcourt, which was scolded by coach Larry Brown after a dismal performance ahead of a five-game
road trip. - NBA.com
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DWIGHT HOWARD GOES FROM STELLAR TO ROCK BOTTOM
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February 18, 2009
- Dwight Howard had 12 points and was a non-factor for most of the last three quarters, when he scored only two points.
Orlando's previous worst loss was by 19 points to Boston on Dec. 1. Having won in overtime against Charlotte on Tuesday
night, the Magic looked flat in New Orleans, shooting 37 percent (26-of-70) and going 20-of-36 on free throws. "It was a
nightmare tonight,'' Howard said. "We just have to regroup. It's just one game.'' New Orleans outscored Orlando 44-18 in
the paint and outrebounded the Magic 46-35. Orlando was as close as 58-50 after Hedo Turkoglu's 3 early in the third quarter,
but the Hornets were unfazed. Minutes later, West's driving scoop ignited an 8-0 run that included six points from Paul, the
last on a soft jumper set up by a weaving dribble across the lane.
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"It was one of those nights a player just obliterated us,'' Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. "You can complain about your defense all you want,
but sometimes great players just make you look worse than you are.'' Butler added a pair of 3s later in the quarter and Paul another jumper as New
Orleans built its lead back up to 86-62 heading into the final period. New Orleans' lead only grew from there as all 12 Hornets who dressed ended
up with at least two points. Reserves Melvin Ely and Devin Brown each finished with 11 points, Peja Stojakovic had 10 and the Hornets shot 58 percent
(46-of-79). After Howard had 44 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocks a night earlier, the big worry for New Orleans was what Orlando's superstar
center would do against Hilton Armstrong, Sean Marks and Ely, who'd been reserves before Chandler injured his left ankle in January.
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. HORNETS
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Those worries began to fade when it became apparent that Paul's advantage over the likes of Anthony Johnson and Tyron Lue
would more than compensate. New Orleans raced to a 17-6 lead, with Paul scoring 12 of those points and assisting on Stojakovic's
transition jumper. Late in the first quarter, Paul had 16 points, three assists and four rebounds, compared to 14 points, four
assists and three rebounds for the entire Orlando team. At that point, New Orleans had made 13 of its first 17 shots and led 33-14.
From late in the first quarter until several minutes into the second, Orlando was mired in a 1-of-17 shooting slump. The Magic made
five of six 3-point attempts late in the second half, but could not reduce their deficit much because of Paul's continued onslaught,
which included a 3 of his own and a fast break layup that he started with a steal and ended with hesitation dribble as he drove to
the hoop. - NBA.com
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DWIGHT HOWARD MAKES THE HISTORY BOOK WITH STELLAR GAME
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February 17, 2009
- Dwight Howard outdid Shaq - and pretty much everyone else who played in the NBA in the past three-plus decades.
He had a career-high 45 points, to go with 19 rebounds and eight blocks, leading the Orlando Magic to a 107-102
overtime victory against the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night. "Dwight was unbelievable, unbelievable,'' Magic
coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I mean phenomenal. He just put us on his back. That's leadership right there, that kind
of play on the floor. It kept everyone else motivated.'' Since the NBA started recording blocked shots for the 1973-74
season, no NBA player ever has had this many points, rebounds and blocks in the same game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
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He also tied Shaquille O'Neal's franchise record with his 18th straight double-double. "Today, he had his way,''
Charlotte center Emeka Okafor said. "I have to tip my hat to him. He had a great game. He just dominated.'' The
Magic also got 17 points from Rashard Lewis, who joined Howard on the Eastern Conference All-Star team last weekend.
J.J. Redick made a 3-pointer with eight seconds left in regulation to tie it and Raymond Felton missed a jumper as
time expired. Boris Diaw made a layup over Howard with 20 seconds remaining and Raja Bell made two free throws for a
95-92 lead before Redick's tying shot. The Magic took an early lead in overtime, and never let it go. Redick hit a
free throw for the 105-102 lead. Courtney Lee added two more to clinch the victory.
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. BOBCATS
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"We really needed this game off the break,'' Howard said. "When my teammates see me bringing it at both ends every
night, they will do the same. I have to start everything at both ends.'' Bell and Gerald Wallace returned to the
Charlotte lineup. Wallace had been out since Jan 27 with a partially collapsed lung and a fractured rib and Bell
had been out since Feb. 6 with a groin strain. The Bobcats led through most of the final three periods, opting not
to double-team Howard around the basket. It allowed them to limit the rest of the Magic until late in the game. - NBA.com
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DWIGHT HOWARD AND MAGIC FALL APART AGAINST NUGGETS
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February 11, 2009
- Dwight Howard had 16 points and Rashard Lewis scored 12 for the Magic, who finished with a season low in points, a season-high 24 turnovers
and were held to a season-low 30.4 percent shooting from the floor. "We got absolutely dominated,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "Not one
guy had a decent night offensively. Our starters, every single guy had three turnovers. We couldn't even keep from getting the ball taken out
of our hands. It was an embarrassing night for our players, for me, for everybody.'' The Nuggets built a 20-point lead early in the third quarter,
but then things got testy. Anthony and J.R. Smith each had technical fouls in the period, and the Magic used a heavy dose of free throws to cut
the Nuggets' lead to 63-51 heading into the fourth quarter. Lewis hit a 3-pointer with 2:06 left to tighten Denver's lead to 77-71, and the teams
traded baskets before Denver clinched it with free throws. But this one was about defense.
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Playing physical and unafraid to foul, the Nuggets had Howard and Orlando frustrated all night. The 3-point shooting Magic
were held to 9-for-31 from beyond the arc and struggled again to control the ball without All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson.
He tore the labrum in his right shoulder Feb. 2 and is still deciding whether to have season-ending surgery or attempt
rehabilitation. The Magic's previous high in turnovers this season was 19 against Minnesota on Dec. 3, and their previous low
shooting percentage was 36.8 percent against Atlanta on Oct. 29. "I'm not saying we're going to be a defensive team,'' Denver
coach George Karl said. "But we didn't have many corrections.'' The game was a sloppy from the start. The teams combined for 14
turnovers, 14 fouls - plus a technical against Lewis for arguing a call - and an airball by Martin in the first quarter. The Magic
were 1-for-5 from 3-point range in the period and struggled to get Howard involved early.
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. NUGGETS
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Smith's jumper capped a 16-4 run that helped Denver take a 24-17 lead after the opening quarter. His 3-pointer ended the second
quarter with the Nuggets on a 14-4 spurt, going ahead 46-29 at the half and sending the Magic to the locker room with a chorus of
boos from the home crowd. It was the fewest points Orlando scored in a first half all season. The previous lows came in a loss to
Boston on Jan. 22, when they managed 36 first-half points and were held to 80 for the game. The Southeast-divison leading Magic
(38-13) took comfort afterward knowing they go into the All-Star break two games behind Boston and Cleveland for the Eastern Conference
lead. "Last time I checked we're still in third place in the Eastern Conference,'' Lewis said. "It was a bad game. We got to take these
couple days off and come in Monday and refocus.'' - NBA.com
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DWIGHT HOWARD DOMINATES NETS IN LESS TIME THAN BEFORE
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February 8, 2009
- Stan Van Gundy wanted more energy and effort from Dwight Howard and the rest of his Orlando Magic, so he came up with a simple solution:
give his big man a rest. Playing fewer minutes and sitting out key stretches, Howard had 30 points and 16 rebounds to lift the Orlando Magic
to a 101-84 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday night. Howard played a little more than 35 minutes, about seven fewer than he'd been
playing over the past few weeks. "The thing is, and it's both a blessing and a burden, he's so talented there's absolutely nothing he's
incapable of doing,'' Van Gundy said. "From my standpoint, I expect him to do all of it.'' He had some help. Mickael Pietrus added 17 points,
and Hedo Turkoglu scored 15 for the Magic, who rebounded from an ugly loss to Indiana on Friday and improved to 2-1 since All-Star point guard
Jameer Nelson suffered a shoulder injury.
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Devin Harris had 28 points and 12 assists, and Brook Lopez added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets, who had their four-game
winning streak snapped a day after beating Denver 114-70 in maybe their most impressive performance of the season. But the Nets
had no answer for Howard, despite throwing every kind of defense at him. "We doubled Howard in the second half, that's how ironic
it was,'' Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "His ability to get easy shots, whether it's second shots or rim runs and surround it with
3-point shooting, they're built a championship caliber way.'' While the Magic played its third consecutive game without Nelson, New
Jersey guard Vince Carter missed the game with a hyperextended right elbow. The Nets suffered most without their star. Scrambling to
keep pace with the high-scoring Magic, New Jersey relied heavily on Harris. His three-point play with 3:24 left in the third quarter
cut Orlando's lead to 74-64. But moments later Nets coach Lawrence Frank received a technical foul for arguing a call against forward
Sean Williams, helping the Magic score the final five points of the quarter.
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. NETS
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"We came out ready tonight,'' Howard said. "We played pretty good defense. We still have to get back to playing the kind of
defense we can play. Tonight was a push forward in that direction.'' Ryan Anderson and Jarvis Hayes hit consecutive 3-pointers
to trim the Magic's lead to 88-79 with five minutes remaining. The team's traded baskets before the Magic opened up from beyond
the arc, with Pietrus making a pair of 3-pointers over the final minutes to put the game away. But it was Orlando's size that
gave the Nets fits throughout. Howard had seven straight points, and reserve center Tony Battie added seven points in the second
quarter to help Orlando take a 59-45 lead at the half. Harris was perhaps the only reason the Nets were able to keep it close,
scoring 18 first half points. "With a young team, it probably was a factor,'' Harris said about playing without Carter. "Obviously
the veterans prepare like it was any other game, but morale was a little bit down coming out." - NBA.com
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DWIGHT HOWARD STRUGGLES IN THE FOURTH AGAINST PACERS
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February 7, 2009
- Orlando's Dwight Howard had 21 points and 20 rebounds, but made just five of 12 free throws. Hedo Turkoglu had 20 points
and 11 assists and J.J. Redick tied a season high with 17 points for the Magic. While Granger dominated the fourth quarter,
Howard struggled. He went 2-for-5 from the field and 4-for-8 from the free-throw line in the final period. "We made some big
stops defensively, especially on Dwight Howard,'' Granger said. "I think our bigs did a good job of stopping him and fouling
him when they could.'' Turkoglu said he thought the Magic took the Pacers lightly. "They played last night, so we thought it
was going to be a little easy, they're going to be tired,'' he said. "It's the NBA. You can't really go easy on anybody. They're
athletes, too. They compete, they play hard, too. It's important that we learn from this.'' Indiana made 28 of 31 free throws,
while Orlando shot just 21-of-33. The Magic also made just 11 of 32 3-pointers. It was Orlando's second game without All-Star
point guard Jameer Nelson, who's out for the season with a dislocated right shoulder. Indiana shot 52 percent in the first half
to lead 61-51 at the break.
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"We brought no defensive mentality, played no defense in the first half,'' coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It's a broken record. ...
An awful effort tonight. I applaud them, they played well, but an awful effort on our part.'' Turkoglu tied it at 87 on two free
throws with 8:20 to go. Indiana led 102-99 in the final minute, and Orlando had a chance to tie before Redick elbowed Indiana's
Mike Dunleavy and was called for an offensive foul with 38.7 seconds left. Ford dribbled at the top of the key to run the shot
clock down, then drove and drew a foul from Orlando's Courtney Lee with 19 seconds left. Ford missed the first free throw, then
made the second to make it 103-99.
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. PACERS
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Turkoglu missed a 3-pointer, and Dunleavy made two free throws at the other end with 12.4
seconds to play. Rashard Lewis made a 3-pointer with 7.7 seconds left, then the Magic fouled Granger with 7.1 seconds left. Granger
made both free throws to end Orlando's threat. The Pacers now have wins over league powers Orlando, Boston, Phoenix, Detroit and
the Los Angeles Lakers, but losses to struggling teams such as Minnesota, New York, Memphis, Golden State and the Los Angeles
Clippers. "I have yet to figure it out,'' Granger said. "I guess we might be a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-type team. We just show two
different teams on any given night, but if we can get consistent, we'll be OK.'' - NBA.com
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DWIGHT HOWARD OVERWHELMES CLIPPERS DOWN IN THE PAINT
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February 4, 2009
- Anthony Johnson had a season-high 25 points in place of injured All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson, and the Orlando Magic routed the
Los Angeles Clippers 125-96 on Wednesday night. Johnson was cool and crisp in the Magic's first game since Nelson tore the labrum in his
right shoulder, doubling his regular-season career high with six 3-pointers. He was 6-for-8 from the beyond the arc and the Magic made
16 3-pointers. Al Thornton had 27 points, and Eric Gordon added 14 for the Clippers, losers of seven straight and 21 of their last 23
games. They could do little to stop Johnson, who nearly matched his regular-season career high of 27 points against Washington on Jan.
18, 2006, when he was with Indiana.
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The Magic (37-11) swapped their starting lineup to cope with Nelson's loss, starting Johnson in place of Nelson
and having shooting guard Courtney Lee come off the bench as his backup. Mickael Pietrus started in place of Lee.
The Clippers provided an easy test run. Clanking shots and scurrying on defense, Los Angeles was outmatched and
outplayed. The Clippers (10-38), tied with Washington for the NBA's worst record, clogged the inside trying to
shutdown Dwight Howard and take advantage of the Magic's point guard shortage. They just didn't account for Johnson
- no one did. The 34-year-old veteran gave the Magic an immediate boost. He made four 3-pointers in the first quarter,
including one that popped up-and-in that had even coach Stan Van Gundy smiling. Johnson was 4-of-5 shooting in the
quarter to give the Magic a 34-22 lead after the opening period.
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. CLIPPERS
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His sixth 3-pointer was part of 10-0 run that lifted the Magic to a 72-48 halftime lead. By the second half, he was driving
and dishing and had the Magic on cruise control as they cleared the bench, taking a 104-71 lead into the fourth. The Magic,
who have been active in trade talks and scouring the free agent market to fill the void left by Nelson, will have tougher
tests ahead than the Clippers. And Johnson's stellar play might not make decisions for Orlando - or Nelson - any easier.
Nelson was injured in Orlando's 105-95 loss to the Mavericks on Monday night. He reiterated Wednesday that he will decide
over the next few weeks whether he will have season-ending surgery or hold off and attempt rehabilitation. - NBA.com
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DWIGHT HOWARD HAS HIS 3 GAME WINNING STREAK ENDED
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February 2, 2009
- Dwight Howard had 35 points and 11 rebounds, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 18 as the Magic ended their three-game winning streak. But that
wasn't the worst news of the night for Orlando. All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson left the game in the third quarter with a dislocated
right shoulder. He was scheduled to have an MRI on Tuesday. And Dallas took advantage in his absence. Terry's 3-point play capped a 19-6
run as the Mavericks turned a tight game into a blowout, going ahead 75-57 in the third quarter. Dallas started fast in the fourth, using
a 10-4 spurt to take an 87-67 lead.
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A late rally by the Magic cut Dallas' lead to 99-90 with 2:29 remaining on a 3-pointer by Turkoglu.
But each time Orlando nudged closer, Nowitzki and the Mavericks would answer back. It was quite different early. Mickael Pietrus' layup
highlighted an 11-4 Magic run, giving them a 40-33 lead midway through the second quarter. But Dallas would answer, clamping down on Howard
and getting out on the fast break. Forcing turnovers and speeding up the tempo, the Mavericks closed the half on an 18-7 spurt that put them
ahead 54-47. Dallas' perimeter defense was stellar, holding Orlando to 1-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc in the first half. It wasn't as
easy early in the paint.
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DWIGHT HOWARD PHOTOS
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MAGIC VS. MAVERICKS
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Muscling through Mavericks at will, Howard nearly had a double-double by the end of the first quarter: He had 12 points and six rebounds,
powering the Magic to a 27-25 lead. But even Howard wasn't perfect. He was rejected by the rim on an alley-hoop attempt in the first quarter,
falling to the floor after misjudging his position under the basket. Josh Howard was able to keep the Mavericks in range early, scoring 10
points in the first quarter. - NBA.com
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