The AP reports: Dwight Howard had 18 points, 13 rebounds, a career-high seven assists and five blocks in Orlando’s 112-103 victory over the worst-in-the East Washington Wizards on Friday night, and he also collected his 13th tech this season… Indeed, Antawn Jamison scored a season-high 36 points for the Wizards, and second-year guard Nick Young added 20… As if the Wizards didn’t already have enough problems—what with Gilbert Arenas, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson sidelined by injuries—two-time All-Star Caron Butler sat out the second half with a tight hamstring. And reserve forward Andray Blatche left in the second half with a bum ankle.
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Magic clinch playoff berth, beat Bulls 107-79
The AP reports: Tony Battie had 18 points and eight rebounds, and the Magic got a big boost from the bench to clinch a playoff spot with a 107-79 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night… J.J. Redick had 13 points, and Marcin Gortat added 13 points and 15 rebounds in reserve for the Magic, who have won five of their last six games and moved closer to taking another Southeast Division title… John Salmons had 18 points and eight rebounds, and Brad Miller added 11 points for Chicago, which shot a mere 31.4 percent from the floor and had 16 turnovers.
Hamilton 29 and 14, Pistons beat Magic 98-94
The AP reports: Kwame Brown, who has struggled since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, had 10 points and played 26 minutes of tough defense against Dwight Howard as Detroit beat the Orlando Magic 98-94. He stepped up after Rasheed Wallace left with a first-quarter injury… Richard Hamilton led Detroit with 29 points and a career-high 14 assists, while Antonio McDyess had a season-high 18 rebounds… Howard had 27 points and 14 rebounds for Orlando, which has lost 19 of its last 24 regular-season meetings with the Pistons, and been eliminated by Detroit in each of the last two postseasons.
No Rondo, Magic beat Celtics 86-79
The AP reports: Dwight Howard scored 18 with 15 rebounds, making a pair of free throws with 13.9 seconds left to ice it after Boston cut a 22-point deficit to three, and the Magic held on to beat the Celtics 86-79 on Sunday… “It was big for (us) to see where we are for the playoffs,” said Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, who scored 16… Rashard Lewis scored 15 and Rafer Alston had 10 points and eight assists for Orlando, which won its fourth straight… Ray Allen had 17 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, scoring nine straight to make it 82-79 with 1:22 to play… Stephon Marbury, who made his first start since joining the Celtics on Feb. 27, started and scored four points in 20:30.
InsideHoops.com note: Rajon Rondo didn’t play. He’s out with a minor right ankle sprain.
Howard scores 26 as Magic top Nets 105-102
The AP reports: The Orlando Magic are getting back in a groove, and just in time. Dwight Howard had 26 points and 15 rebounds, and the Magic rallied to beat the New Jersey Nets 105-102 on Friday night. Up next: Sunday at Boston, which is second in the Eastern Conference and three games ahead of Orlando… Rashard Lewis added 21 points, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 13 for the Magic, who won their third straight game and fourth in their last five. Devin Harris had 25 points and nine assists, and Vince Carter had 19 points for the Nets, who went 1-for-8 over the last 6:16.
Magic win big-man battle, top Suns 111-99
The AP reports: 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… Rashard Lewis had 29 points and Hedo Turkoglu scored 22 for the Magic, who overcame a season-high 24 turnovers. O’Neal finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, outmuscling his first NBA team for most of the night before he lost his cool late, again drawing boos by the Orlando crowd… Jason Richardson had 27 points, and Steve Nash added 20 points for Phoenix after missing the last three games with a sprained right ankle.
JJ Redick ejected for first time
The Orlando Sentinel (Kyle Hightower) reports: Magic SG J.J. Redick was ejected for the first time after being hit with back-to-back technicals with 3:40 left in the second quarter. Redick and Sixers F Reggie Evans had been hit with double techs as they jawed running up the court. Redick continued to plead his case and was tossed.
Lewis, Turkoglu shine, Magic beat 76ers 106-100
The AP reports: Even when All-Star Dwight Howard has a subpar game, the Orlando Magic can never be counted out. Not with their offensive arsenal. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu scored 23 points each and the Magic tied a franchise record with 37 3-point tries in their 106-100 comeback win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. Courtney Lee contributed 18 points, Howard added 12 and Rafer Alston had 11 for the Magic (43-16), who rebounded from a disappointing 93-85 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday. The Magic improved to 21-9 on the road, the third best record in the NBA… Andre Miller had 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, Andre Iguodala scored 22, Willie Green added 19 and Thaddeus Young had 18 for the Sixers, who fell back to .500 at 29-29.
Pistons end 8-game skid, top Magic 93-85
The AP reports: The Detroit Pistons found their answer without The Answer. Richard Hamilton had 31 points and six assists in his return to the starting lineup in place of Allen Iverson, and the Pistons ended their eight-game losing streak with a 93-85 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night… Rodney Stuckey had 22 points and Tayshaun Prince added 17 for the Pistons, who snapped their longest losing streak in 14 seasons. Rasheed Wallace, who was fined $25,000 by the league earlier Friday for his actions after an ejection Wednesday night, finished with six points. Dwight Howard had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and Rafer Alston scored 14 for the Magic, who fell again to a Pistons team that has knocked them out of the playoffs the last two seasons and has won 21 of the past 26 meetings.
Howard 20/20 game, Magic beat Knicks 114-109
The AP reports: Dwight Howard had 24 points and 21 rebounds in his 20th career 20-20 game, and the Orlando Magic held on to beat the Knicks 114-109 on Wednesday night. Hedo Turkoglu scored 33 points to lead the Magic, who bounced back from a 120-102 loss in Chicago on Tuesday, their worst defensive performance of the season. Orlando was in control most of the way before the Knicks used some clutch 3-point shooting to pull within two in the final 30 seconds… Wilson Chandler had 27 and Al Harrington finished with 26. David Lee had 10 points and 10 rebounds to remain tied with Howard for the NBA lead with 46 double-doubles, though D’Antoni admitted Lee wasn’t sharp. Larry Hughes was 1-of-6 from the field, falling to 4-for-22 since the Knicks acquired him from Chicago at the trade deadline.