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Nelson carries Magic over Knicks

Mar 2, 2011 - 6:28 AM Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - Jameer Nelson scored 14 of his season-high 26 points in the fourth quarter to spark the Orlando Magic past the New York Knicks, 116-110.

The Magic hit five of their eight three-pointers in the final 12 minutes to close out a 5-2 homestand on a winning note.

Dwight Howard finished with 30 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks, while Ryan Anderson netted 16 points in the win.

Chauncey Billups and Amare Stoudemire both scored 30 points, and Carmelo Anthony had 25 on 8-of-24 shooting for New York, which failed to build off Sunday's dramatic victory over the Miami Heat.

"We're not totally there yet, and that's to be expected," Stoudemire said. "We played well enough to win, we just didn't close the game out."

The game featured a whopping 97 free throws, with New York making 39 and Orlando draining 36.

New York led the entire third stanza and went up 86-79 when Stoudemire's fadeaway opened the fourth-quarter scoring.

That's when Orlando got hot from long range, hitting three during a quick 13-2 burst that Howard ended with two free throws 3:38 in.

The lead changed hands twice more prior to Nelson taking over, as the guard erupted for 11 points during a two-minute stretch to give the Magic a 108-99 cushion they did not relinquish.

"I had to step up. I wasn't as aggressive as I could have been in the first half," Nelson said. "I have to continue attacking and making plays."

The Knicks were within four, 110-106, following two Billups free throws with 2:42 showing, but Orlando scored the next five points to stay in control and cruised to the finish. Billups was on the bench for the run after suffering a left thigh bruise on a collision with Howard.

Howard put up 17 points in the first quarter and spearheaded a 14-0 run that allowed Orlando to jump out to a 32-21 cushion after 12 minutes.

The Knicks turned it around in the second frame, and a 12-2 run, capped by a Billups three-pointer midway through, gave them a 42-39 edge.

New York scored the final nine points of the half to take a 58-47 lead into the break.

Game Notes

With his ninth rebound, Howard became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 7,000 rebounds. He is 25 years, 83 days old, eclipsing Wilt Chamberlain (26 years, 128 days)...Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu was hit with his second technical foul while arguing with officials from the bench in the second quarter and was ejected...Before the game, the Knicks waived newly acquired swingman Corey Brewer and claimed forward Derrick Brown off waivers from the Charlotte Bobcats...Orlando has won five straight over the Knicks.