Howard posts another 20-20 as Magic oust Raptors in 5 games

[April 29, 2008]  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Dwight Howard had 21 points and 21 rebounds and the Orlando Magic advanced to second round of the playoffs for the first time in 12 years, beating the Toronto Raptors 102-92 on Monday night to close out their series in five games.

It was Howard's third game with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in the series.

Raptors forward Chris Bosh, who posted career playoff highs of 39 points and 15 rebounds at Toronto on Saturday, had 16 points and nine rebounds. Bosh was frustrated down low by Howard, shooting 7-of-19 and picking up a third-quarter technical foul after the Magic star powered past him for a layup.

The Magic will play the winner of the Detroit-Philadelphia series, which is tied 2-2, in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

T.J. Ford and Carlos Delfino both scored 14 points for the Raptors, while Jason Kapono had 13 and Jose Calderon 12. Delfino added seven rebounds and Ford had five assists.

Keyon Dooling's free throw after the technical on Bosh put the Magic ahead 73-66 with just under a minute left in the third quarter, and Orlando kept that cushion until midway through the fourth. Delfino hit a jumper and Bosh made two free throws in four trips to the line, plus a hook shot over Howard, to draw the Raptors within 84-82.

The Magic, who shot the fourth-best percentage in the NBA from 3-point range this season, struggled again from long range, but made them when it counted. Keith Bogans and Jameer Nelson each hit one and Howard added a layup as the Magic answered with an 8-0 run over 3:13 to open a 92-82 lead, then its largest of the game.

It was enough room to let them coast.

Nelson scored 19 points for Orlando and Rashard Lewis had 18 points and 13 rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu just missed a triple-double with 12 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, while Maurice Evans scored 12 points and Bogans added 11.

Orlando hadn't won a playoff series since 1996, when Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway led the team to the Eastern Conference finals. The Magic played 28 postseason games in the intervening years, winning only eight.

Orlando looked good early, taking a 10-2 lead on 3-of-5 shooting, but the Raptors guards took over for the rest of the first half. Calderon fueled a 10-4 run with two 3-pointers to close the first quarter up 26-22, and Delfino scored eight straight points in the second quarter. The Magic drew to 44-43 as the Raptors went 2:20 Raptors without scoring -- a period in which Lewis had nine points -- but Ford scored six straight on two jumpers and two free throws to keep the Magic from regaining the lead before halftime.

Toronto's Jamario Moon, who strained his groin in the third quarter Saturday and didn't return, started for the second time in the series. He had six points in the first quarter on two quick 3-pointers but just two more the rest of the way.

Notes: The NBA announced earlier in the day that Turkoglu was its most improved player. ... Orlando is 4-0 all-time in Game 5s at home. ... Toronto's bench outscored the Magic's all five games -- by a lot. The margin was 39-20 on Monday, and 149-75 through the first four games. ... The Raptors lost their last five games on the road. ... Tiger Woods and Chicago Bulls F Drew Gooden watched from courtside.

[Associated Press; By TRAVIS REED]

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