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Magic take down Nets

Dec 30, 2011 - 6:48 AM Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - Dwight Howard recorded a double-double, scoring 16 points and pulling down 24 rebounds to lead the Magic to a 94-78 victory over the Nets.

Ryan Anderson scored a game-high 22, while Jason Richardson chipped in 16 for the Orlando, which moved to 2-1. Hedo Turkoglu netted 11 points and dished out seven assists, and J.J. Redick added 15 points off the bench.

"I thought through the first 19 minutes of the game, we played very well," Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy said. "The last five minutes of the half, we didn't defend, but I thought we were very consistent in the second half."

MarShon Brooks led New Jersey with 17 points and Deron Williams scored 10 and had seven assists, but went just 2-of-12 from the field.

The Magic jumped out to a 28-16 lead after the first quarter after shooting 55 percent from the field over the first 12 minutes.

The Nets used a 15-5 run to pull within five to close the second half. The run was sparked by a DeShawn Stevenson three, his third in the game at that point, while Brooks scored eight points over the stretch.

New Jersey was able to get within three after Mehmet Okur knocked down a trey with a little over nine minutes remaining in the third, but that would be as close as the Nets would come as Orlando raced to a 75-62 lead at the end of the third stanza.

The fourth quarter followed the same theme as Orlando continued to pad its lead, outscoring the Nets 19-16 over the final frame. The quarter was highlighted by a ferocious putback slam from Howard off a Redick miss.

Magic point guard Jameer Nelson left in the third quarter with neck spasms and did not return. he finished the game with five assists but failed to score.

Game Notes

The Magic have taken 12 of the last 13 with New Jersey...The Nets are winless in their last seven trips to Orlando...New Jersey's Stevenson and Kris Humphries each scored nine, while Humphries had 10 rebounds.