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Howard, Magic feast on Bucks again

Mar 4, 2012 - 4:54 AM Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - Dwight Howard had 28 points and 14 rebounds Saturday and the Orlando Magic beat the Milwaukee Bucks for the fourth time in 22 days, pulling away for a 114-98 victory.

The Magic have won seven in a row against Milwaukee and 17 of the last 20 in the series. After a hot start, they let the Bucks back into the game before a run in the second half game them control again.

"We gave ourselves a chance, but they're better than us," said Bucks coach Scott Skiles.

Jason Richardson added 18 points in the latest win while Hedo Turkoglu scored 16 with nine assists and Ryan Anderson also had 16 points.

Brandon Jennings scored 27 points to lead Milwaukee and Ersan Ilyasova had 18.

The Bucks are probably glad they won't have to see Orlando for the rest of the season.

Not only have they dropped seven straight to the Magic, they have lost 13 in a row in Orlando since their last win there Dec. 29, 2004.

The Bucks haven't beaten the Magic anywhere since Dec. 4, 2010, and hardly seemed ready as the game began to end the skid.

Orlando opened the game on a 19-9 run in the first six minutes, backed by six points from Howard and eight from Richardson, who knocked had a pair of threes during it.

The Magic pushed their lead as high as 17 points in the first quarter on a Turkoglu three that made it 36-19. They were up 36-21 going into the second behind nearly 58 percent shooting.

The Bucks, though, shot better than 65 percent in the second quarter and cut Orlando's lead to 61-60 at halftime. They actually had a three-point lead late, but Turkoglu's three in the final second pushed Orlando back on top.

Orlando's 85-80 edge -- on a Chris Duhon three -- at the end of the third was the biggest lead either team had in the quarter.

The Magic used a 10-0 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters to take a 12-point lead on J.J. Redick's jumper, which made it 92-80. Milwaukee was never closer than eight the rest of the way while shooting 30.4 percent in the quarter.

"We got back on defense better. We forced them to shoot more jump shots," said Howard of his team's late-game rally. "The first half they were getting some easy buckets."

Orlando was 14-of-27 from three-point range in the game and shot 51.9 percent.

Game Notes

The Magic have won four of six...The Bucks went 0-3 on a three-game road trip and are 2-9 in their last 11. Their next three games are at home beginning Monday versus the 76ers.