canihavu
02-03-2009, 01:46 AM
Howard's 29 Lift Magic to 113-90 Win Over Raptors
Feb 1, 4:10 PM (ET)
TORONTO (AP) -For once, Chris Bosh had a bad game against the Orlando Magic.
Dwight Howard had 29 points and 14 rebounds, Jameer Nelson added 18 points and 10 assists, and the Magic never trailed in a 113-90 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.
Mickael Pietrus scored 22 points and Rashard Lewis had 15 for the Magic, who led by as many as 25 and have won three straight following back-to-back losses to Boston and Miami.
Bosh came in averaging close to 24 points and nine rebounds in 20 career games against the Magic.
"The two players we have been almost totally unable to contain have been (Miami's Dwyane) Wade and Bosh," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said before the game. "It's like those guys never have even an average night against us. They're always great. Obviously we haven't found the answer, I'm not even sure we know what the questions are."
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Orlando answered that question Sunday by backing off Bosh, giving him space to shoot and ensuring Howard stayed out of foul trouble.
"The bottom line is it was going to be (Bosh's) 2-point jump shots against Dwight down in the paint at point-blank range," Van Gundy said. "That was a trade-off we were willing to make."
The strategy worked to perfection as Bosh shot a disappointing 4-for-11 and was booed after missing five of his first six attempts, while Howard shot 11-for-19, including five dunks.
"I usually have the patience to knock those shots down, but for some reason I was really in a hurry," Bosh said. "I shouldn't have been like that. I should have just taken my time and knocked them down."
Bosh, who finished with 11 points, didn't make his first basket until 5:20 of the second quarter, and was called for a technical after slamming the ball as the first half expired.
"We were lucky he wasn't making a lot of shots tonight because when he's on, it's going to be a tough game for us," Howard said.
Nelson had eight rebounds, falling just shy of the first triple-double of his career. While Van Gundy said he still has to reinforce the importance of defense with Nelson, he has few other complaints about his All-Star point guard.
"I'm really happy with him," Van Gundy said. "I try not to say that too often. He and I went at it again today on the bench. ... He has had a hell of a year, he's a big reason for our success right now. I feel very comfortable with the ball in his hands."
Orlando broke it open with a 20-6 run to start the second half, keyed by two 3-pointers apiece by Lewis and rookie Courtney Lee. Toronto trailed 87-65 after three quarters.
"Because Dwight draws so much attention inside, if we continue to move the ball and make the extra pass, there's no reason for us to be shooting contested shots," Van Gundy said. "Most of the time we'll hit that stretch where we drop a few 3's and open the game up when people are collapsing inside and we did that again."
Orlando, the NBA's best 3-point shooting team, shot 13-for-30 from beyond the arc, while Toronto finished just 2-for-11, matching a season-low.
Jose Calderon scored 16 points for Toronto, reserve Joey Graham had 14 and Andrea Bargnani had 12.
The victory was the 200th of Van Gundy's five-year coaching career.
"It means I get another ball in my office, one of those lettered balls," Van Gundy joked. "That's good, because the more balls you put in there, it really looks like you're accomplishing something. You can fool a lot of people with that."
Nelson and Howard combined for 22 points as Orlando opened a 10-point lead in the opening quarter. But when Howard went to the bench after picking up his second foul with 38 seconds left in the first, Toronto responded with a 12-2 run, tying the game 33-all on Graham's layup at 9:35 of the second.
Howard and Nelson both returned a minute later and scored another 11 points between them and the Magic took a 54-47 lead at the half. ^
Notes:
The Magic are an NBA-best 19-6 on the road. ... Orlando has made 10 or more 3-pointers in 28 games this season, going 24-4 in those contests. ... This was the first of four straight games against contending teams for Toronto, which visits Cleveland on Tuesday, hosts the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday and heads to New Orleans Friday.
Feb 1, 4:10 PM (ET)
TORONTO (AP) -For once, Chris Bosh had a bad game against the Orlando Magic.
Dwight Howard had 29 points and 14 rebounds, Jameer Nelson added 18 points and 10 assists, and the Magic never trailed in a 113-90 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.
Mickael Pietrus scored 22 points and Rashard Lewis had 15 for the Magic, who led by as many as 25 and have won three straight following back-to-back losses to Boston and Miami.
Bosh came in averaging close to 24 points and nine rebounds in 20 career games against the Magic.
"The two players we have been almost totally unable to contain have been (Miami's Dwyane) Wade and Bosh," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said before the game. "It's like those guys never have even an average night against us. They're always great. Obviously we haven't found the answer, I'm not even sure we know what the questions are."
clear pixel
Orlando answered that question Sunday by backing off Bosh, giving him space to shoot and ensuring Howard stayed out of foul trouble.
"The bottom line is it was going to be (Bosh's) 2-point jump shots against Dwight down in the paint at point-blank range," Van Gundy said. "That was a trade-off we were willing to make."
The strategy worked to perfection as Bosh shot a disappointing 4-for-11 and was booed after missing five of his first six attempts, while Howard shot 11-for-19, including five dunks.
"I usually have the patience to knock those shots down, but for some reason I was really in a hurry," Bosh said. "I shouldn't have been like that. I should have just taken my time and knocked them down."
Bosh, who finished with 11 points, didn't make his first basket until 5:20 of the second quarter, and was called for a technical after slamming the ball as the first half expired.
"We were lucky he wasn't making a lot of shots tonight because when he's on, it's going to be a tough game for us," Howard said.
Nelson had eight rebounds, falling just shy of the first triple-double of his career. While Van Gundy said he still has to reinforce the importance of defense with Nelson, he has few other complaints about his All-Star point guard.
"I'm really happy with him," Van Gundy said. "I try not to say that too often. He and I went at it again today on the bench. ... He has had a hell of a year, he's a big reason for our success right now. I feel very comfortable with the ball in his hands."
Orlando broke it open with a 20-6 run to start the second half, keyed by two 3-pointers apiece by Lewis and rookie Courtney Lee. Toronto trailed 87-65 after three quarters.
"Because Dwight draws so much attention inside, if we continue to move the ball and make the extra pass, there's no reason for us to be shooting contested shots," Van Gundy said. "Most of the time we'll hit that stretch where we drop a few 3's and open the game up when people are collapsing inside and we did that again."
Orlando, the NBA's best 3-point shooting team, shot 13-for-30 from beyond the arc, while Toronto finished just 2-for-11, matching a season-low.
Jose Calderon scored 16 points for Toronto, reserve Joey Graham had 14 and Andrea Bargnani had 12.
The victory was the 200th of Van Gundy's five-year coaching career.
"It means I get another ball in my office, one of those lettered balls," Van Gundy joked. "That's good, because the more balls you put in there, it really looks like you're accomplishing something. You can fool a lot of people with that."
Nelson and Howard combined for 22 points as Orlando opened a 10-point lead in the opening quarter. But when Howard went to the bench after picking up his second foul with 38 seconds left in the first, Toronto responded with a 12-2 run, tying the game 33-all on Graham's layup at 9:35 of the second.
Howard and Nelson both returned a minute later and scored another 11 points between them and the Magic took a 54-47 lead at the half. ^
Notes:
The Magic are an NBA-best 19-6 on the road. ... Orlando has made 10 or more 3-pointers in 28 games this season, going 24-4 in those contests. ... This was the first of four straight games against contending teams for Toronto, which visits Cleveland on Tuesday, hosts the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday and heads to New Orleans Friday.