Howard Powers Magic Past Kings 112-93

[February 25, 2008]  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Dwight Howard had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic got a huge fourth-quarter effort from their reserves in a 112-93 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.

Brian Cook and Keyon Dooling combined for 20 points in a 22-8 run to start the final period, which Orlando entered ahead 74-68. No Magic starter scored in the fourth quarter until Howard hit two free throws with 4:28 remaining.

By then the game was already in hand, but Orlando struggled early. The Magic trailed by as many as eight in the first half, when Kevin Martin scored 14 of his 21 points.

Ron Artest led Sacramento with 23 points -- seven in the fourth quarter -- and Brad Miller scored 17. Martin also had 10 rebounds.

Cook, Dooling and Maurice Evans each scored 14 for Orlando. Rashard Lewis had 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks and Hedo Turkoglu added 13 points.

The Kings had won three straight since trading Mike Bibby to the Atlanta Hawks for four players and a draft pick.

But none of the guys Sacramento received has contributed much. Guard Anthony Johnson averaged 12 minutes in the first three games -- by far the most of the new players -- but didn't enter the game Sunday. Forward Shelden Williams has played fewer than 10 minutes in each of the four games, and Tyronn Lue and Lorenzen Wright haven't played at all.

The Magic outshot the Kings 48 percent to 43 percent -- a different story from the first half. Orlando was 15-of-40 (37.5 percent) from the field through two quarters, while Sacramento went 17-for-39 (43.6 percent).

Sitting on a 20-point lead, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy got so comfortable he even used fan favorite J.J. Redick. The former Duke star had one point in 2:46. Carlos Arroyo, once Orlando's starting point guard but a recent bench fixture, was the only active player who didn't get minutes for the Magic.

Notes: Kings coach Reggie Theus played for Orlando in its inaugural 1989-90 season. Appropriately, it was "80s Night" at Amway Arena on Sunday, with music from the decade and cheerleaders in leotards. ... Van Gundy nearly became coach of the Kings in June, after Orlando hired Billy Donovan. The Magic coach was actually in Sacramento the day before Orlando introduced him as their second choice. ... Sacramento has three games left on a five-game road trip.

[Associated Press; By TRAVIS REED]

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