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Howard, Magic Start Slow, Power Past Nets

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 7, 2008

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic still can't find a way to get started at home.

At least they were able to finish it Wednesday night.
Dwight Howard had 21 points and 13 rebounds as the Magic beat New Jersey 100-84, avenging a one-point loss to the Nets at home a month ago. Orlando won despite digging itself into a double-digit first-quarter hole for the second straight game.

"We've just got to come out better," Howard said.

Six Magic players scored in double figures. Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis both scored 19, and Keyon Dooling, Brian Cook and Jameer Nelson each added 11.

PISTONS 100, HEAT 95: Rasheed Wallace had 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead Detroit.

Dwayne Wade, who had 30 points and 12 assists, pulled the Heat within a point with just under 3 minutes left and he set up Ricky Davis' 3-pointer to make it 94-92 with 21.5 seconds left.

Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups made enough free throws on the next three possessions to seal the win for the Pistons, who have won six straight.

HAWKS 98, LAKERS 95: Joe Johnson scored 28 points, including four free throws in the final 23 seconds, and Atlanta beat Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

Josh Smith, who had 17 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and five blocks, hit one of two free throws with 7.1 seconds left to push the lead to three points.

SPURS 85, WIZARDS 77: Robert Horry scored seven of his season-high nine points in the 17-4 spurt that gave the Spurs the lead for good over slumping Washington.

Tim Duncan had 23 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and Fabricio Oberto had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who are 3-2 on their nine-game rodeo road trip and improved to .500 (11-11) on the road this season.

PACERS 103, KNICKS 100: Kareem Rush scored 24 points, and Indiana used a strong defensive effort in the fourth quarter to beat New York, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
Mike Dunleavy added 17 points and Danny Granger had 16 for the Pacers, who held the Knicks to three field goals in the final 8 1/2 minutes.

CELTICS 111, CLIPPERS 100: Rajon Rondo scored a career-high 24 points to go with eight assists and five rebounds, coming back from a flagrant foul that knocked him to the floor and bloodied his nose to lead Boston.

A night after losing by one point in overtime to Cleveland, the Celtics avoided a losing streak despite missing All-Star Kevin Garnett for the fifth straight game.

MAVERICKS 107, BUCKS 96: Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for his first career triple-double, and Dallas stretched their home winning streak to eight games.

Nowitzki, the defending league MVP, consistently passed out of double-teams to open teammates as he registered his first career game with double-digit assists.

The Associated Press

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