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Magic cap preseason with sixth straight win

Oct 26, 2007 - 2:44 AM By Jim Rickenbacker PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) - Last time the San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic met on Orlando's homecourt, Dwight Howard's highlight reel dunk lifted the Magic to a much-needed win over the eventual NBA champs.

On Thursday, it was a trio of injured players during the preseason that lifted Orlando to their sixth straight win with a 99-90 over the Spurs.

The threesome of Rashard Lewis - Orlando's summertime free-agent catch, Trevor Ariza and Keyon Dooling, combined for 28 points, which was large considering the three had played sparingly during the preseason. Most notably from a financial standpoint was Lewis, who the Magic are paying $118 million. Lewis didn't make it past the first half of the first two games and, like Ariza, has sat out the past four games with an injured right ankle.

"If it wasn't a new team and a new coach and I knew all the schemes I'd be ready, but I don't," said Lewis, who accounted for eight of his 16 points in the third period. "I'm having to learn everything on the fly."

"After the first quarter, Rashard started to get more and more comfortable and played a lot more aggressively, looking to score," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. "And that's why he's here."

Dooling, making his preseason debut after sustaining an abdominal injury early in training camp, contributed eight points, three assists and two steals.

The eight-year pro scored all of his points in the fourth to help prevent the Spurs from getting any closer than seven points.

"I thought Keyon was tentative at first, but that happens with guys that haven't played," Van Gundy said. "I think that as he got more minutes as the game went on he played well. But I was really happy with everyone tonight."

Manu Ginobli led the Spurs with 21 points and five assists.

The game marked the final preseason game for the Magic, who open their regular season on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks.