The Wizards' Nick Young scored 20 off the bench
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Dwight Howard led the Orlando Magic tonight with 31 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks en route to a 106-81 victory over the visiting Washington Wizards. Washington's Nick Young led the Wizards off the bench with 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting, but the tandem of Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison would only account for 17 points tonight as opposed to the 57 points the two combined for last night against the Knicks.
Caron struggled early, missing back-to-back threes. The first looked to be a heat check; Washington and Orlando began the game shooting nothing but threes. However, with the score 6-6, Dwight Howard earned his first basket of the night, an easy dunk after pushing Etan Thomas out of position in the paint. For Washington, Howard would be an issue the whole night, and while the Wizards managed small runs, Orlando, between Howard's inside game and the excellent three point shooters outside, would go on 10-0 runs in response. By the end of the half, Orlando led Washington 58-39.
Outside of Howard, Washington also struggled against Mickael Pietrus, who finished the game with 18 points. Howard and Pietrus scored 12 points each in the third quarter, extending a 19 point lead at half to a 26 point lead by the end of three. Of note in the third for the Wizards was DeShawn Stevenson, who broke out for 11 straight Wizards points in between the 8:41 and 2:15 marks.
In the fourth quarter, JaVale McGee received another highlight alley-oop, this time from point Dee Brown, but the Wizards could not cut the lead down any farther than 18. Dwight Howard played until 2:28 to go in the fourth, perhaps in an effort to fill his stat sheet.
Juan Dixon started tonight in place of bruised point, Antonio Daniels, who would not play tonight. Dixon earned only 3 assists and 3 points in 23 minutes after having 11 assists off the bench against the Knicks. The Wizards as a team would not earn fast-break points until the second half, which helps explain the stat sheet for Juan. Dee Brown came off the bench with 5 assists on the night.
Caron Butler bumped heads with Mickael Pietrus at the end of the second quarter, which gave Butler a cut above his left eye and Pietrus a cut across his forehead. Butler would be okay, and play in the second half, but Coach Eddie Jordan would decide to rest Butler and Jamison for most of the remainder, due to Orlando's lead.
Washington will receive a three-day break, and play the Utah Jazz at home this Wednesday.
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