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Raptors play spoiler against Magic

Apr 4, 2011 - 1:48 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points, Jerryd Bayless had 23 and the Toronto Raptors played the role of spoiler in a 102-98 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Orlando's loss, coupled with Miami's win over New Jersey on Sunday, clinched the Southeast Division for the Heat.

Dressing just eight players, the banged-up Magic remained solidly in the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference.

But they were handled by a 21-55 Toronto team that won the rebounding battle, 48-30, and put up 21 second-chance points -- including eight in the fourth quarter after falling behind by eight points.

"They out-hustled us, they out-quicked us. They just totally outplayed us and they deserved to win," said Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy. "You don't see teams get out-rebounded by 18. That's absurd."

Leandro Barbosa chipped in 14 points for the Raptors, who shot better than 50 percent from the field to snap a six-game losing streak.

"We talked about keeping our energy up for the full 48 minutes and we did that," said Bayless. "This was a big win for us."

Dwight Howard had 31 points and nine rebounds for Orlando, snapping his consecutive double-doubles streak at 33 games.

Howard's ninth rebound -- after Jameer Nelson missed a three-pointer -- came in the final minute with the Magic trailing by four. But it was stripped from his hands by DeRozan, and Bayless knocked down a free throw at the other end to make it 100-95.

After Jason Richardson missed a three for Orlando, Bayless made two more free throws to put the game away. About the only big shot Orlando hit down the stretch was Richardson's three-pointer from the left corner -- in the final seconds, when it was too late, for the game's final margin.

"We certainly didn't even try to turn it on tonight," said Van Gundy.

Nelson had 21 points, Richardson and Brandon Bass scored 13 apiece and Hedo Turkoglu added 11. But the Orlando bench -- just Quentin Richardson, Ryan Anderson and Malik Allen -- scored only nine points in more than 51 combined minutes.

The Magic were missing Gilbert Arenas, Chris Duhon, J.J. Redick and Earl Clark for different reasons. They have five games left against the Bucks, Bobcats, Bulls, 76ers and Pacers.

The Raptors, with six games remaining, have little to play for except trying not to finish with the worst record in the NBA. Unless they lose all their remaining games -- and Cleveland wins its six -- the Raptors are safe.

They led 23-19 after a back-and-forth first quarter, then fell behind 49-46 at halftime. Orlando took a 79-73 lead into the fourth and extended it to a game- high eight points when Turkoglu opened the quarter with a bank shot.

But Toronto followed with a 12-3 run to take the lead, then out-hustled a tired Orlando team in a tight game down the stretch to pull out the victory.

"I think they played harder than us," said Howard. "That was it."

Game Notes

The Magic shot 49 percent. They fell to 1-3 in their last four games...Howard had a double-double in every game he played since fouling out against the Sixers on January 19 with 18 points and seven rebounds.