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Magic visit slumping Knicks

Mar 28, 2011 - 3:10 PM (Sports Network) - The Orlando Magic look to keep a handful of winning streaks intact when they begin a short two-game road trip this evening against the suddenly-struggling New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

The Magic have won five in a row, including three straight on the road, and are unbeaten in the past six matchups with the Knicks. They are trying to sweep the season series from New York for a second consecutive year and own a 13-2 mark in the previous 15 encounters with the Knicks. Orlando has won four straight at Madison Square Garden.

Orlando, which is fourth in the Eastern Conference standings and four games behind Miami for the Southeast Division lead, is in the midst of playing nine of 11 games on the road and will visit Atlanta after its trip to the Big Apple. The playoff-bound Magic made it five wins in a row with a 95-85 decision over the New Jersey Nets in central Florida on Friday, as Dwight Howard recorded the 60th double-double of the season with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Howard is second in the NBA in double-doubles.

Magic starting point guard Jameer Nelson had two points and three assists before leaving with a left knee injury and is doubtful for tonight.

"Hopefully he's OK," said Howard. "It looked pretty bad. Any time you get hit around your knee it could be bad."

Hedo Turkoglu scored 20 points and Jason Richardson had 16 in the win. The Magic are 21-15 away from Amway Center. They're 7-2 in the past nine games overall and closing in on homecourt advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.

New York has lost six straight and nine of 10 games, and is only 7-12 since acquiring Carmelo Anthony in a blockbuster deal from Denver. Anthony and the Knicks suffered a 114-106 loss at Charlotte on Saturday despite receiving 36 points from the former Syracuse star.

Chauncey Billups and Amare Stoudemire scored 14 points apiece, with Billups handing out 10 assists. Landry Fields finished with 16 points off the bench for the Knicks, who will begin a four-game homestand tonight versus the Magic, Nets, Cavs and Raptors, and are 19-17 at MSG.

"For the most part, these are teams we should be beating," Anthony told NBA.com. "We talk about that among each other ... that some of these teams shouldn't even be on the court with us. But they're winning games and it's just something we have to figure out."

D'Antoni's squad is seventh in the conference standings -- two games behind Philadelphia for the sixth spot.