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From Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic MAGIC 102, RAPTORS 87

Dwight Howard helps Orlando Magic top Toronto Raptors in 4th quarter

Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
March 5, 2008

For Dwight Howard, becoming an all-star starter and winning the slam-dunk contest was a thrill, especially for a Superman marketing campaign now seen on I-4 billboards.

Having people give you the celebrity treatment is part and parcel of his growing stardom. An Orlando Magic season-ticket holder put on a home-made cape and bowed to Howard as he delivered the ceremonial game-ball to him Tuesday night at the center-court captain's meeting before the game.

But the truest sign of promise that awaits Howard unfolded during the Magic's 102-87 victory against the Toronto Raptors a few hours later, when nothing went his way and nobody was fussing over him.

Howard took another step in his growth as a seasoned professional, overcoming foul trouble and his teammates' inability to deliver him the ball as cleanly as the season-ticket holder did.

He scored 16 of his 19 points in the club's telltale 31-19 final-period blitz against the Raptors, lifting the Magic (39-23) to their fifth consecutive home victory to improve to 18-11 at Amway Arena.

Howard tied his season-high for points in any quarter, and added 14 rebounds.

The Magic won the three-game season series against the Raptors, giving them a head-to-head tiebreaker for a possible playoff seed should the teams wind up with the same records. They still have the No. 3 seed, four games ahead of No. 4 Cleveland and five (plus the tiebreaker) ahead of the Raptors.

The game warranted an asterisk as the Raptors were missing their all-star big man, Chris Bosh, who was out with a right knee injury.

Bosh scored 40 points as Toronto routed Orlando 127-110 in their last meeting on Feb. 20 at Air Canada Centre. Coincidentally or not, the Raps scored 40 fewer points without him.

Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy added, "They were missing a great player, and it looked like we were, too."

Howard played just 29 minutes, 43 seconds -- his shortest stint since Nov. 13, 2007 against the Seattle SuperSonics.

He had one point and three fouls at halftime, plus a whole lot of frustration. When Howard was sent back to the bench with his fourth foul with about nine minutes left in the third quarter, assistant coach Patrick Ewing again got in his ear.

Instead of pouting, Howard persevered.

"Patrick [Ewing] talked with me during the game," he said. "We had one game earlier in the season where I was really frustrated and it took me out of the whole game. He told me he didn't want to see that again.

"I've got to take a step forward for my team, just try and go out there in the fourth quarter and stay composed."

Said Ewing, in his succinct manner, "I told him to keep his head. He really did. He didn't start pouting. He did a great job. Young guys forget it's a long game."

With the Magic leading just 71-68, Howard began the fourth quarter by hitting a short jumper and adding two free throws. After Keith Bogans' 3-pointer, Howard made two more free throws and a dunk -- the first of three slams in the period -- to give Orlando 80-72 breathing room.

"I thought that was a very, very big step forward for him," Van Gundy said of Howard's battle with various obstacles.

Schooled repeatedly by point guard Jose Calderon in the loss in Toronto, the Magic played better pick-and-roll defense. And their "Big Three" -- Howard, Hedo Turkoglu (24 points) and Rashard Lewis (22) -- made 17 of 19 shots in the second half after the club struggled in the first. Orlando wound up shooting 52.6 percent.

Point guard Jameer Nelson returned after missing a game because of the flu, adding 13 points, six rebounds and four assists.

The Magic, who enjoy a healthy lead in the Southeast Division over the Wizards, face them in Washington, D.C., tonight. With a victory, the Magic can match their total number of wins recorded last season when they finished 40-42.


Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com.

Related topic galleries: Patrick Ewing, Rashard Lewis, Seattle SuperSonics, Superman, Amway Arena, Stan Van Gundy, Jameer Nelson

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