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Magic beat Nets for 9th straight time

Feb 23, 2012 - 4:16 AM Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Dwight Howard had 20 points and 17 rebounds, but the Orlando Magic may have made their biggest run of the game with him on the bench Wednesday night in a 108-91 win over the New Jersey Nets.

Orlando beat New Jersey for the ninth straight time mostly on the strength of a 24-12 run while Howard sat on the bench after getting in early foul trouble.

Glen Davis scored 12 of his 16 points during the surge, which gave the Magic a 20-point lead in the second quarter. Ryan Anderson had 14 points and nine rebounds and Orlando moved to 10-3 in February after ending January on a four- game losing streak.

"We're playing great basketball. We have to keep it up, stay humble, stay focused and continue to push," said Howard, who said he was trying not to focus on his future with the team and only on winning games.

"We're in a good position and we don't want to lose that position. We have to come back the second half and have a better second half."

The Magic have won 15 of their last 17 meetings with the Nets, who played without forward Kris Humphries in this one because of a strained calf. It was New Jersey's final game before the All-Star Break.

MarShon Brooks scored 24 points to lead the Nets, while Deron Williams added 23 points and eight assists. The Nets have lost 12 of their last 15 games.

The Magic shot 62.5 percent in the first quarter to take a 34-17 lead into the second.

Their 24-12 run spanned both quarters and came after Howard was whistled for his second foul with four minutes remaining in the first. Davis knocked down six buckets during the surge, which gave the Magic a 47-27 lead with under seven minutes left.

The advantage reached as high as 22 and Orlando carried a 58-41 lead into the break.

The Nets were within eight points briefly in the third quarter, but that's as close as it got. Howard led a 12-2 run after that to push Orlando's lead to 18 and it was 87-70 going into the fourth, where New Jersey was never closer than 13.

Game Notes

The Nets will start a four-game road trip at Dallas next Tuesday...The Magic are 2-1 on a five-game road trip that straddles the All-Star break. They have one game left before the weekend, at Atlanta on Thursday...New Jersey's last win over Orlando came at home on April 11, 2009.