• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Magic and Heat going in different directions

Dec 28, 2007 - 2:32 PM Orlando (19-11) at Miami (8-21) 7:30 pm EST

MIAMI (Ticker) - The Orlando Magic have cooled after a red-hot start while the the Miami Heat have been cold all season.

The Magic and the Heat renew their in-state rivalry on Friday at American Airlines Arena.

Orlando raced out to a 16-4 start, capped off by their 123-117 victory at Golden State on December 3. They are 3-7 since, however, and have surrendered at least 111 points in four games during that stretch.

The Magic were able build some momentum with Wednesday's 110-96 win over the New York Knicks. Hedo Turkoglu scored 26 points and Rashard Lewis added 25 to complement Dwight Howard's 11th consecutive double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds).

The Heat have not been able to sustain any level of success this season.

The return of leading scorer Dwyane Wade from offseason knee and shoulder surgeries was supposed to help Miami erase a 1-6 start, but things have not improved much.

They suffered their sixth loss in eight games on Wednesday in a 96-85 setback against the Philadelphia 76ers. Wade's 28 points and nine assists were not enough to offset the Sixers' 50 percent (36-for-72) shooting from the field.