Howard leads Magic past Clippers, 95-88

LOS ANGELES(AP) The Orlando Magic are on a roll, and still learning.They were inconsistent and had to rally to take a 95-88 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night."It
was a weird game, but we've got to learn how to close things out,''
said Orlando's Dwight Howard, who had 23 points, 22 rebounds, six
blocks and four assists. "We had a big lead in the first quarter, but
we let them get back in the game and we gave them a lot of confidence."To
be a good, dominant team, we've got to get into that rhythm of playing
hard for 48 minutes and not let teams get back in games like that,''
Howard added. "The great teams do it. The Celtics, the Lakers, they
play hard for 48 minutes and that's why they're at the top of the NBA.''On his 23rd birthday, Howard had his second consecutive 20-20 game and third of the season, and his 17th double-double.Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy was impressed."They're
coming off a really great year, and they have a guy who obviously is
the best rebounder and shot-blocker in the league. They're surrounded
by excellent 3-point shooters. They've got guys who can really stroke
it and keep Howard spaced,'' Dunleavy said."The more skilled he
gets offensively, the better he'll be. He's relentless in going after
blocked shots and rebounding. Offensively, when he becomes a better
free throw shooter and shot-maker and starts making stuff from farther
out, he has a chance to be one of the best ever.''Howard went 7-of-16 from the floor and 9-of-18 from the free throw line.Orlando took a big lead early, fell behind, then came back in the fourth quarter.Baron
Davis, who finished with 27 points, hit a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left
in the third quarter to give the Clippers a 75-66 lead, their biggest
margin of the game.Orlando moved back in front at 76-75 on Brian
Cook's 3-pointer with 9:41 left to play during a 22-2 run that began at
the start of the final quarter. Los Angeles missed nine of its first 10
shots in the period to fall behind."The Clippers have had a lot
of these games where they've been right there and been ahead in the
fourth, then had some trouble down the stretch,'' Orlando coach Stan
Van Gundy said. "I've had teams that went through that, and it sort of
gets in your mind a little bit, too."So coming out in the fourth
quarter, getting that run right away and getting a lead, that puts some
doubts in the mind of a team that's struggled before.''Rashard Lewis added 18 points for Orlando and Jameer Nelson had 15.Zach Randolph had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Los Angeles, and Marcus Camby had 17 rebounds.The
win over the Clippers (4-17) improved Orlando's record to 12-1 against
teams under .500, but the Southeast Division-leading Magic are just 4-3
against teams with winning records."The biggest thing is winning
on the road,'' Howard said. "It doesn't matter who we play. We've just
got to get better. We're going to start playing some tough teams pretty
soon. We've got Portland tomorrow and they haven't lost at home, so
we've got to be ready.''The Magic didn't miss much in the opening quarter, then didn't make much in the second as they and the Clippers reversed roles.Orlando
got out quickly, went 11-of-22 in the first 12 minutes and led 24-9
with 2:14 left in the period. Los Angeles finally starting hitting late
in the quarter to finish 8-of-26 and trailed 26-19 heading into the
second.Then, sparked in the second quarter by Randolph's 13
points on 6-of-8 shooting, the Clippers made 13 of 26 shots, while the
misfiring Magic went 4-of-17. Randolph's 9-foot jumper 2:56 before
halftime gave Los Angeles its first lead, at 42-41 with 2:56 remaining,
and the Clippers went on to lead 48-42 at the break.Notes:
Howard had 21 points and 23 boards in a 98-89 over Oklahoma City on
Friday. ... The Clippers had gone 6-1 against the Magic in Los Angeles
until Orlando beat them 113-106 last Jan. 9. ... Los Angeles was coming
off a 107-84 win at Minnesota that was the team's most lopsided road
victory since a 102-68 romp over Indiana on Nov. 10, 2004.