Howard helps Magic cool Heat

Basketball Betting Lines

02/22/2009 - Orlando, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dwight Howard's 32 points and 17 rebounds coupled with the Magic's 17 three-pointers offset the Dwyane Wade show for Miami, as Orlando cruised to a 122-99 wire-to-wire victory over the Heat.

Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis each netted four three-pointers for 20 and 18 points, respectively, for Orlando, which won back-to-back games for the first time since its three-game winning streak was stopped back on February 2.

Turkoglu also had nine rebounds for the Magic, who had a 53-28 edge on the glass. Rafer Alston, in his second game with the club since being traded from Houston, contributed 12 points and nine assists in the victory.

Wade was virtually unstoppable on the offensive end, finishing with a career- high 50 points behind a 17-for-30 effort from the floor and 14-of-15 shooting from the free throw line. Unfortunately for the Heat, who have alternated wins and losses for the past seven games, the rest of the team shot a combined 33.9 percent from the floor in the setback.

The hosts extended a two-point lead early on with a 13-0 run. Alston hit two three-pointers during the stretch and Howard capped it with a three-point play for a 27-12 lead seven minutes into the game.

Behind Howard's 15 first-quarter points, Orlando owned a 39-24 edge and continued to fill the bucket in the second frame. Leading by 20 with three minutes to go before the break, Courtney Lee drilled a trey and laid in an easy basket off a nice pass from Turkoglu for a 62-37 edge.

Wade scored nine of the next 11 points but the Heat still stared at a 64-46 deficit at halftime.

Miami made three tries from behind the arc early in the third quarter to make it an 11-point game. Orlando had too much fire power, though, as Howard's dunk around the two-minute mark capped a 16-5 run to rebuild the 20-point lead.

The margin was 91-72 heading to the fourth, and Lewis' three-pointer and mid- range jumper to open the frame deflated Miami's already slim comeback aspirations.

Game Notes

Orlando leads the season series, 2-1...Miami is winless in its last six trips to Orlando...Magic guard Mickael Pietrus did not play due to a sprained right wrist...Lee logged 14 points for Orlando, while Anthony Johnson and J.J. Redick came off the bench for 12 and 10 points, respectively...Rookie Michael Beasley was the only other Heat player in double figures, tallying 14 points.

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