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From Orlando Sentinel

MAGIC 115, BULLS 83

Dwight Howard works out of a slump with 30 points, 14 rebounds as the Orlando Magic abuse visiting Bulls

Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
April 10, 2008

Of all the impressive duties assigned to all-star center Dwight Howard -- including dunker and defender -- this might be his most significant job title: illusionist.

When Howard treats teams like a chew-toy, he can create the impression that the Orlando Magic have enough big men, which they clearly do not. Come playoff time, the Magic will need to see more of the Howard, who terrorized the Chicago Bulls in a 115-83 rout Wednesday night at Amway Arena.

Howard broke out of a rare mini-slump, scoring 30 points on 12-of-15 shooting and grabbing 14 rebounds as the Magic (49-29) closed in on 50 victories.

If he couldn't have had his way with the Bulls -- who dealt veterans Ben Wallace and Joe Smith before the trade deadline -- then the Magic might begin mumbling to themselves.

Howard is their postseason meal ticket with his inside presence. The club lost power forward Brian Cook (broken right hand) for perhaps the first round of the playoffs. They were so desperate for size that they allowed Tony Battie to accelerate his rehab from October shoulder surgery before shutting down his comeback attempt on Tuesday.

Should playoff opponents be able to handle Howard, it would mean the Magic would have to rely on their outside shooting -- a tricky prospect.

But Howard bulled and bounced his way through and around three young big men the Bulls used to defend him at various times -- rookie Joakim Noah, rookie Aaron Gray and second-year forward Tyrus Thomas.

"He was a beast," said Noah, the ex-Gator who inherited the starting center job after Wallace was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. "It's unbelievable, trying to play against him."

Howard struggled in the last two games, scoring just four points in a victory against the Cavs on Saturday and had 13 in a wretched 100-90 loss to the Knicks on Sunday.

"I just wanted to come out and play a lot better than the last two games. I didn't think I brought myself mentally and physically to the games," Howard said.

Teammates, at times, struggle to get him the ball. He had 15 shot attempts -- his second-most attempts in the past 17 games. "It's not all on him, but he's got to work harder to get it, too. He did tonight, " Coach Stan Van Gundy said.

The Magic also gave great effort after mailing it in against the Knicks.

Orlando had been out-rebounded the past four games, but beat Chicago on the boards 53-46 and owned the Bulls offensively in the paint 60-32.

Rashard Lewis scored 21 points, and Carlos Arroyo added 13 off the bench. Hedo Turkoglu scored just 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting, but had eight of the Magic's 30 assists.

The Bulls (30-48), who trailed by as many as 32 points during the night, managed to whittle the Magic's margin to 78-70 in the fourth.

Orlando then went on a 21-6 run to lead 97-76 in front of their 32nd sell-out crowd of the season.

The Magic took a 62-49 halftime lead, thanks to a 19-4 surge led by Arroyo and Howard. Arroyo had 11 points in the first half. Howard, who battled early foul trouble, scored 11 consecutive points to give Orlando a 51-36 advantage.

The Magic can become just the fourth team in franchise history to win 50 games by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. They had lost five of their previous eight games, hardly the way to build playoff momentum.

But Howard "makes everything easier," point guard Jameer Nelson said.

Howard showed no ill effect after receiving six stitches in his lip after getting smacked in the mouth in practice. "It is affecting my modeling career for a couple of days," he laughed.

But he sure is making the Magic look good -- and bigger.


Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com.

Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel

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