Howard Leads Magic Past Wizards

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Wizards	21	18	19	23					81
Magic	27	31	26	22					106

ORLANDO, Fla.(AP) Dwight Howard had a season-high 31 points and 16 rebounds and also blocked three shots to help the Orlando Magic win their fourth straight game, 106-81 over the winless Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

Howard, who leads the NBA in blocked shots, hit 11 of 13 shots and nine of 14 free throws. Mickael Pietrus added 18 points, and Keith Bogans had 13 for Orlando (4-2).

Nick Young had 20 points for the Wizards (0-5), the only team in the Eastern Conference without a victory this season.

The Magic led by as 19 points in the second quarter and 29 in the third.

The Wizards played their reserves backups in the fourth quarter, while the Magic kept many of their starters in the game.

The Wizards are playing without Gilbert Arenas (left knee) and Brendan Haywood (right wrist) and neither is expected back anytime soon.

Caron Butler, the Wizards' leading scorer this season, left the court late in the second quarter with a bloody cut over his left eye, sustained when he hit heads with Pietrus. Butler returned for the second half wearing a bandage. He had 10 points.

The Magic never trailed, opening with a pair of 3-pointers from Pietrus and Hedo Turkoglu. They led 58-39 at halftime after shooting 59 percent.

Notes: The Wizards opened 0-5 last season and still reached the playoffs, becoming the 13th team in NBA history to lose its first five and still finish in the playoffs.


source : NBA.com

Granger Scores 23 To Help Pacers Beat Nets

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Nets	27	24	15	14					80
Pacers	32	17	25	24					98

INDIANAPOLIS(AP) Danny Granger scored 23 points to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 98-80 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday night.

Granger shot just 6-for-17 from the field, but made 10 of 12 free throws for the Pacers (2-3). He entered the game as the NBA's No. 2 scorer.

Indiana guard T.J. Ford nearly had a triple-double, but settled for 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Troy Murphy had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Jeff Foster added 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Pacers.

Vince Carter led New Jersey (2-3) with 31 points.

New Jersey guard Devin Harris missed the game because of a sprained left ankle. He had a career-high 38 points Friday night in New Jersey's win over Detroit. His replacement, Keyon Dooling, scored 17 points on Saturday.

Indiana held New Jersey to eight field goals in the second half and outscored the Nets 49-29 after halftime.

The teams combined for nine 3-pointers in the first quarter, and the Pacers led 32-27 at the end of the period.

New Jersey shot 50 percent in the first half and led 51-49 at the break. Carter scored 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting in the first two quarters.

The Pacers led 53-51 when Josh Boone couldn't quite gather himself on an alley-oop attempt. Indiana rebounded and pushed the ball down the floor, and Murphy made a 3-pointer to give the Pacers a 56-51 lead.

Granger then stole the ball from Yi Jianlian at the top of the key, drove and split two defenders for a layup and a chance for a 3-point play. His free throw made it 59-51.

New Jersey's first points in the second half came with 7:40 left in the third quarter, but the Pacers maintained control. A 3-pointer by Marquis Daniels increased Indiana's lead to 66-55 midway through the period, and the Pacers led 74-66 at the end of the quarter. New Jersey shot 4-for-20 from the field in the period, and Carter was held to four points.

Indiana started the fourth quarter on an 8-1 run, with all its points scored by Granger, to take an 82-67 lead. The Nets didn't make a field goal in the period until Dooling scored with 5:55 to play. Indiana's Jarrett Jack answered with a 3-pointer to give the Pacers an 86-70 lead.

Notes: Foster surpassed his season high for points with eight in the first quarter. ... Boone had an airball on a free throw with 1:15 left in the first half. ... Indiana G Mike Dunleavy sat out because of a sore right knee, and Pacers C Rasho Nesterovic missed his third straight game because of a sprained right ankle.


source : NBA.com