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Heat entertain Magic in Southeast showdown

Mar 3, 2011 - 4:56 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of Eastern Conference heavyweights and Southeast Division rivals go head-to-head tonight in south Florida, where the Miami Heat will entertain the Orlando Magic from AmericanAirlines Arena.

Miami is currently fighting for the top seed in the conference, a distinction that belongs to the Boston Celtics by only 1 1/2 games ahead of the Heat. The Heat lost for only the third time in 15 contests with Sunday's 91-86 setback to Carmelo Anthony and the new-look New York Knicks.

LeBron James had 27 points and his layup attempt was blocked by Amare Stoudemire with less than eight seconds to go. James' three-point try at the end was also no good, while Chris Bosh added 20 points and 12 board for Miami, which still leads the Southeast Division by 4 1/2 games over Orlando.

"There is a reason we keep losing these close games, and we have to figure it out," said Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who ended with 12 points, nine assists and seven rebounds "Games are very competitive. We knew this game was going to be competitive. We knew it was going to come down to a defensive play at the end."

The Heat are 1-1 on a three-game homestand and 22-6 in South Beach. After tonight's game they will head to San Antonio for a showdown with the NBA-best Spurs on Friday in the Alamo City.

Miami is expected to have new guard Mike Bibby in the lineup after his contract was bought out by the Washington Wizards. Bibby was sent to the Wizards in a deal that landed Kirk Hinrich in Atlanta. The Heat cleared a roster spot for Bibby by cutting ties with Carlos Arroyo.

Orlando just went 5-2 on a seven-game homestand and won for the seventh time in nine tries with Tuesday's 116-100 victory over Anthony and the Knicks. Jameer Nelson came through with 14 points in the fourth quarter and finished with a season-best 26 for the Magic, who got 30 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks from MVP candidate Dwight Howard.

"I had to step up. I wasn't as aggressive as I could have been in the first half," Nelson said after Orlando overcame an 11-point deficit. "I have to continue attacking and making plays."

Ryan Anderson scored 16 points in a winning effort. The fourth-seeded Magic are six games off the top spot in the Eastern Conference and will put their 15-13 road record to the test this evening.

Howard has 49 double-doubles on the season and became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 7,000 rebounds. He is 25 years, 83 days old, eclipsing Wilt Chamberlain (26 years, 128 days). Howard has posted a double-double 19 times in a row, averaging 26.3 points and 15.4 boards in that time. He holds the team record for most consecutive games with a double-double with 20 (Jan. 15-Feb. 26, 2010).

Howard has also recorded at least 20-plus points and 10 or more rebounds in 11 straight contests, the longest such streak in his young career.

Miami leads the season series with Orlando by a 2-1 count, but the Magic have won 15 of the past 20 meetings between the rivals.