Vince Carter scored 24 points and pulled down eight rebounds, as the Orlando Magic took their fifth win in a row with a 104-96 final over the Toronto Raptors.
Carter, Howard Lead Magic To Fifth Straight, Down Raptors
Dwight Howard ended with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, whose last loss came against Cleveland on November 11. Carter and Howard combined to shoot just 13-for-37, but sank 15-of-20 free throws in the win.
“I think in the last two games we’ve done a way better job on the defensive end,” Howard said. “All the guys have been real patient. We didn’t shoot the ball that well today except for Vince. I like the way we’re getting better every day.”
Carter shot 7-for-13 in the second half, but Orlando shot just 41 percent overall. The Magic did get a good performance off the bench from J.J. Redick, who sank 6-of-10 shots, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, and finished with 19 points.
Chris Bosh had 22 points to pace Toronto, which has lost four of five. Jose Calderon added 16 points, and Amir Johnson totaled a season-high 14 points off the bench in the setback.
“Just looking at the scoresheet, I don’t know what to say,” Bosh said. “We gave up a lot of second chances, but they didn’t have many second chance points [16], which is a mystery to me. I think if we had tightened up the rebounding and made some shots it would have been a different game.”
In a tie game, the Magic surged ahead with a 10-0 run near the beginning of the fourth quarter. Redick began it with a three-pointer a little under two minutes in, and Jason Williams followed with another three before Redick sank a jumper. Ryan Anderson closed the rally with two free throws to make it a 90-80 contest with over seven minutes left.
In the same stretch, Toronto missed three shots and turned the ball over twice.
The Raptors later scored seven consecutive points to get within 97-91 with 2:32 left, but Carter sank two free throws to break the run as the Magic held on for the victory.
The Raptors held a 28-22 advantage after one quarter, and stretched their lead to double digits after Bosh began the second with two layups.
However, the Magic erased that advantage with a 10-0 run later in the quarter. Redick fueled the burst with six points, and Rashard Lewis ended it with a jumper that made it a 37-37 game.
It was back-and-forth the rest of the half, and Anderson’s three-pointer in the closing seconds put Orlando ahead 50-49 at the break.
The teams traded points in the third, and a Carter basket at the end of the quarter made it a 76-76 contest heading to the fourth.
Howard’s double-double was the 293rd of his career...The Raptors’ Jarrett Jacks tied a career high with 11 assists and also had eight points and seven boards...Williams had a season-high 16 points for the Magic...Orlando has won both games in Toronto this season, having also beaten the Raptors at Air Canada Centre on November 1.
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