Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Dwight Howard led all scorers with 22 points and added 13 rebounds and six blocks, as the Orlando Magic earned a 98-92 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.
Howard Powers Magic Over LeBron-Less Cavs 98-98
Jameer Nelson chipped in 17 points and eight assists, while Mickael Pietrus donated 12 points off the bench, including some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter for Orlando, which has won four straight and already locked up the Southeast title and second seed in the Eastern Conference.
"We got a win, but nothing else," Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It was just a bad basketball game from our standpoint. But we won, so I'm not going to complain. What else do I take from it? Nothing."
Delonte West ended with a team-best 21 points in a reserve role and Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams had 19 points for the Cavaliers, who have lost three straight, but already clinched the Central Division title and home court advantage throughout the playoffs.
"Whether we were in the half-court or in transition, I just thought that we gave up too many middle drives," Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown said. "We are a team that prides ourselves on no middle penetration. When we give up middle penetration, it breaks us down defensively."
Cleveland was without superstar LeBron James and Anthony Parker, who were given the day off.
With Orlando ahead 77-73 after three quarters, Anderson Varejao began the fourth with two layups and two free throws by West briefly put the Cavs in front. Pietrus got the hot hand and made three straight Orlando baskets -- two three-pointers -- but a pair of makes for Cleveland limited the Magic's lead to only a point, 85-84, with 7:37 left.
The Orlando advantage swelled to 10, 98-88, after Howard’s dunk with 2:22 remaining and the Magic held on the rest of the way.
Jamison and Williams each scored nine points in the opening quarter to get Cleveland out to a 28-19 lead, and the Cavaliers led by as many as 16, 40-24, approaching the midpoint of the second. Orlando, though, closed with six straight points to draw within 50-46 at the half.
The third quarter remained tight throughout, and with the game tied at 73 with under a minute to play, Howard's jumper and Vince Carter's layup put the Magic up heading into the fourth.
Orlando topped Cleveland in six games during last year's Eastern Conference finals...The teams split four matchups this season...Orlando will play at Indiana on Monday and host Philadelphia on Wednesday to wrap up its schedule before heading to the postseason...Williams also dished out nine assists for the Cavaliers, who shot 41 percent from the field...Zydrunas Ilgauskas had nine points and 12 boards in defeat...Orlando shot 48.1 percent from the floor, but made only 9-of-26 from three-point range...Carter ended with six points and five assists for the Magic.
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