Magic 102 - 95 Wizards
Final
  for this game

Magic shoot down Wizards

Mar 1, 2012 - 5:23 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Ryan Anderson scored 23 points and pulled down 15 rebounds to lead the Magic over the Wizards, 102-95, at Verizon Center on Wednesday.

Orlando had seven players in double figures, including Jason Richardson, Jameer Nelson, and Glen Davis, who all contributed 12 points. J.J. Redick added 15 and Dwight Howard had a double-double with 14 points and 12 boards to give the Magic their ninth-straight victory over Washington.

John Wall scored a game-high 33 points in the loss, while Jordan Crawford chipped in 18 for Washington, which has dropped six-consecutive games.

Three-point shooting was the key for the Magic as they drained 15-of-36 from long range to improve to 16-1 when scoring over 100 points.

"That's what we do. We can really stretch the court and obviously when we have Dwight get double-teamed and attract so much attention, that really leaves us open," said Anderson about his team's three-point barrage. "We did a great job of taking advantage of that."

After trailing by as many as 17 in the first half, Crawford came out scorching in the third, hitting three-straight mid-range jumpers from the left wing to give the Wizards their first lead of the game, 47-46, less than two minutes into the quarter.

Crawford finished the frame with 14, but the Magic used five triples in the third to cling to a 71-70 lead heading into the final stanza.

Anderson and Chris Duhon drained back-to-back three-pointers during an 8-0 Magic swing over the first 1:32 of the fourth to take a 79-70 edge.

Wall refused to let the Wizards quit as he scored Washington's first ten in the fourth, and added an assist on a Maurice Evans trey that tied the game at 83 with just under seven minutes left.

However, Orlando continued to utilize the long ball, as Nelson, and then Anderson, connected on triples. Howard then added an old fashioned three-point play after an Evans layup to take a 92-85 lead with five minutes to play.

The final dagger came from long range, as Hedo Turkoglu buried a three-pointer off an offensive rebound to give Orlando a decisive 100-91 advantage.

"They came out and hit a lot of threes, got the big lead, but we fought back," said Crawford after the loss. "We have to just keep competing. We've been losing a couple games we should have won, and we have to turn it around."

The first half was a game of spurts, as the Magic reeled off 12 straight to take a 25-8 lead, but Washington countered with a 10-2 run to cut the margin to 27-18 after one quarter.

Washington then used a 15-3 surge late in the second to pull within two, but Orlando answered with five straight to take a 46-41 lead into the locker room.

Game Notes

Orlando will host Oklahoma City on Thursday, while Washington will host Cleveland on Saturday...Washington's JaVale McGee saw his streak of 68- straight starts, dating back to Feb. 1, 2011 in New Orleans, come to end. He finished with nine points and six rebounds off the bench...Turkoglu finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.






Related News