Magic top Heat 122-99 despite Wade's big night

[February 23, 2009]  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Dwight Howard had 32 points and 17 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic withstood a career-high 50 points by Dwyane Wade to rout the Miami Heat 122-99 on Sunday.

Hedo Turkoglu had 20 points and Rafer Alston added 12 points and nine assists for the Magic, who have won 12 of the past 15 games against their Sunshine State rival.

Wade was potent from inside and out, scoring with high-flying dunks and soaring jumpers that had even some Magic fans chanting "M-V-P!" Miami's do-it-all guard had previously scored 48 twice in his career, and had 43 points two times earlier this season.

Wade hit a pair of 3-pointers in an 11-4 Heat run to start the third quarter, closing the gap to 68-57. But the Magic would come back with a series of 3s to go ahead 91-72 at the end of the period to offset Wade's performance.

The Heat never got close in the fourth, and Miami coach Erik Spoelstra cleared most of the bench midway through the period -- except for Wade, who was left in until his shot over Courtney Lee gave him 50 points.

But it was the Magic's newest player that made the biggest difference.

Alston, acquired from Houston last Friday, has taken the ballhandling responsibilities off Orlando's free-shooting perimeter players. The speedy guard has allowed the Magic to return to their usual rotation and play the up-tempo, pick-and-roll style game that had them looking like real title contenders before All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson tore the labrum in his right shoulder Feb. 2.

Nelson has since had season-ending surgery, and the Magic are counting on Alston to fill the void. He had them rolling from the start against Miami.

Driving and dishing from all angles, Alston had seven assists and a pair of 3-pointers in the opening quarter. Howard converted a 3-point play after a powerful dunk over Wade and Udonis Haslem, the last of 13 straight points by the Magic to open up a 27-12 lead early. Howard's 15 points in the quarter just about canceled out all the acrobatic shots Wade had en route to 16 points in the period.

For the Heat, their newest members didn't give them much.

Jermaine O'Neal and Jamario Moon were smothered, combining for just 13 points as the Magic overpowered Miami's big men to win the rebounding battle 53-28. The pair was acquired from Toronto on Friday, with O'Neal expected to give Miami the inside presence it has lacked since trading Shaquille O'Neal last year.

But matching up against Howard -- perhaps the league's best big man -- was too much, and the Heat again leaned heavily on Wade.

The teams went back and forth in the second quarter before the Magic had a 7-0 spurt that was capped by a 3-pointer by Courtney Lee. The Heat then went on a 9-2 run, ending with a monstrous dunk down the lane by Wade to tighten Orlando's lead to 64-46 at the half.

Notes: A moment of silence was held before the game for Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller, who died Friday. ... Magic shooting guard Mickael Pietrus missed the game with a sprained right wrist he suffered in the team's win Friday night at Charlotte. He's day to day. ... Alston wore his No. 1 jersey after sporting a nameless No. 36 jersey -- the emergency uniform the Magic always bring with them on the road -- in his first game with Orlando on Friday night. ... Miami is 41-37 against Orlando in the regular season. Orlando is 2-1 against their Sunshine State rival this season.

[Associated Press; By ANTONIO GONZALEZ]

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