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Suns and Magic meet in a battle of two hot teams

Dec 11, 2006 - 1:52 PM Phoenix (12-6) at Orlando (15-7) 7:00 pm EST

ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) -- Amare Stoudemire and Dwight Howard, two of the best big men in the NBA, meet when the Phoenix Suns face the Orlando Magic on Monday.

The Suns have won 10 straight and 12 of their last 13 to move to the top of the Pacific Division. Stoudemire has been a main reason, reaching 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in six of his last eight games.

The 6-10, 245-pound Stoudemire tallied 22 points and 12 rebounds in less than three quarters of action in Sunday's 114-84 rout of the Charlotte Bobcats. He was one of six players to reach double-figures for Phoenix, which has averaged 128 points in its last five games.

Howard had 28 points and 12 rebounds in the Magic's 86-84 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. It was the 6-11, 265-pound center's third straight 20-point game.

Howard, who leads the NBA with 13.0 rebounds per game, has had a double-double in three of his last four, and 15 of 22 games this season.

Grant Hill added 23 points for Orlando, which has the best record in the Eastern Conference at 15-7.

The Suns have won four of five and five of seven vs. the Magic, but has lost two of three in Orlando.