Howard helps Magic rally by Blazers
December 20, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Dwight Howard(notes) had 12 points, 20 rebounds and four blocks tohelp the Orlando Magic rally past the Portland Trail Blazers 92-83 on Saturdaynight.
Rashard Lewis(notes) added 15 points for the Magic, Jason Williams(notes) had 13 and J.J.Redick(notes) chipped in 12 as Orlando overcame a sluggish first half to beat Portlandfor the sixth time in the last seven meetings.
Brandon Roy(notes) had 33 points and Andre Miller(notes) scored 16, but the Trail Blazersran out of energy in the second half. Portland shot just 34 percent afterhalftime and was outrebounded 54-35 by the Magic.
Roy’s 15-foot jumper tied it at 76 with 6:53 left before the Magic went onan 11-0 run to seize control.
Mickael Pietrus(notes) opened the run with a 3-pointer, then finished it with adriving layup that made it 87-76 with 3:30 remaining. In between, Howard andMatt Barnes(notes) had tip-ins, and Anthony Johnson(notes) scored on a driving layup.
Roy finally stopped the run with a pair of free throws, but the Blazers hadonly two field goals in the final seven minutes of the game, both in the finalminute. Portland was just five of 18 shooting (27.7 percent) in the fourthquarter.
The Magic had their own offensive struggles in the first half, committing 11turnovers and shooting just 34.2 percent. Williams hit four of five shots,including a pair of 3-pointers, but the rest of the Magic backcourt was acombined 3-of-21, including Vince Carter’s(notes) 1-for-11.
The Blazers scored the first eight points of the game but couldn’t sustainmuch offense beyond that—getting only three assists on 17 field goals in theopening half.
But Roy had 12 points and Jerryd Bayless(notes) added 10 to help Portland take a44-39 lead into the break. Roy then scored 15 of Portland’s 21 points in thethird quarter.
The Magic stayed close with four 3-pointers in the third, including one atthe buzzer by Redick that tied the game at 65.
NOTES: Magic PG Jameer Nelson(notes), out for the past month with a torn meniscusin his left knee, worked out with the team Saturday. He will practice Sunday andcould return Wednesday against Houston. … Roy has now scored 23 points or morein nine straight games. … The Trail Blazers had only seven assists on their 29field goals in the game. … Howard had has 35th career game with 20 or morerebounds.
