Final
  for this game

Magic-76ers Preview

Mar 21, 2010 - 5:07 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Orlando (49-21) at Philadelphia (24-46), 7:00 p.m. EDT

When the normally grouchy Stan Van Gundy says he's really happy with his players, they must be doing something right.

Van Gundy's Southeast Division-leading Orlando Magic look to win for the 11th time in 12 games Monday night, when they'll face a Philadelphia 76ers team that's dropped 12 of 14.

Coming off a 26-point rout of San Antonio the night before, Orlando (49-21) defeated Miami 108-102 in overtime on Thursday to open a three-game trip. Although his team wasted a 12-point lead with 4:45 left in regulation, Van Gundy complimented his club on how it closed out the back-to-back set.

"I thought our guys played extremely well," he told the Magic's official Web site. "Coming out of a game last night, there was a much better fight in us. I'm really happy with our guys."

Vince Carter scored a team-high 27 points Saturday and is averaging 25.5 in his last two games, while Rashard Lewis is scoring 22.0 per game during this stretch while hitting 8 of 14 from 3-point range. Lewis scored 12 combined points in the previous three contests.

In Orlando's last game in Philadelphia, Carter and Lewis each hit three 3s and scored 19 points in a 126-105 victory March 1.

Former St. Joseph's star Jameer Nelson scored 22 points with 10 assists in that matchup as the Magic hit a season-high 58.4 percent from the field and won their sixth straight in this series.

"He's the Philly guy," center Dwight Howard said of Nelson after Orlando's third consecutive victory in Philadelphia. "Comes back home and does it all."

Howard posted his NBA-leading 54th double-double Thursday with 10 points and 11 rebounds, but he will look to do more Monday after being saddled with foul trouble against the Heat and picking up his 15th technical of the season.

"One more (technical) and I get suspended (for one game)," said Howard, averaging 17.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 10 career games in Philadelphia. "I've been trying to be extra careful, but it's hard sometimes."

It might not be against the 76ers (24-46), who are looking for just their third win in nearly a month. Playing its fifth game in seven nights, Philadelphia fell to visiting Chicago 98-84 on Saturday.

"We just didn't have it," said 76ers coach Eddie Jordan. "I told our team we were in this same scenario before, and we sort of washed it away and prepared ourselves for the best team in the league at the time, Cleveland (a 100-95 loss March 12). That's certainly what we have to do in the next day and a half to get ready for Orlando."

The 76ers, however, could struggle to score against the Magic, who are holding teams to 91.1 points and 42.7 percent shooting while winning 10 of 11. Philadelphia, meanwhile, has scored fewer than 90 points in three of its last four games.

Marreese Speights, who posted his third double-double of the season Saturday with 17 points and a career-high 11 boards, led Philadelphia with 26 points in a 120-106 season-opening loss at Orlando on Oct. 28.

With a fifth straight road win, the Magic will reach 50 victories for the third straight season. Orlando last accomplished that 1993-96.






  • 5
    roots
    MattDOOM777 Added 5 roots

    Magic 109, 76ers 93  FinalMar 23 6:23 AM


  • NBA
    FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
    --- --- --- --- -----
    ORLANDO 27 29 26 27 109
    PHILADELPHIA 23 24 25 21 93 FINAL

    HIGH SCORERS: ORL - RASHARD LEWIS 24, DWIGHT HOWARD 23,
    VINCE CARTER 17
    PHI - ELTON BRAND 23, ANDRE IGUODALA 23,
    SAMUEL DALEMBERT 16

    Mar 22 9:24 PM


  • NBA
    END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
    --- --- --- --- -----
    ORLANDO 27 29 26 82
    PHILADELPHIA 23 24 25 72 END 3RD QTR
    HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER
    ORL - VINCE CARTER 17, DWIGHT HOWARD 17,
    RASHARD LEWIS 14
    PHI - ELTON BRAND 18, ANDRE IGUODALA 17,
    SAMUEL DALEMBERT 15

    Mar 22 8:53 PM


  • NBA
    HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
    --- --- --- --- -----
    ORLANDO 27 29 56
    PHILADELPHIA 23 24 47 HALFTIME
    HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME
    ORL - DWIGHT HOWARD 13, MATT BARNES 9,
    RASHARD LEWIS 9
    PHI - ELTON BRAND 18, SAMUEL DALEMBERT 11,
    WILLIE GREEN 6

    Mar 22 8:11 PM


  • NBA
    ORLANDO 27
    PHILADELPHIA 23 END, 1ST QTR

    Mar 22 7:40 PM