Orlando Magic Beat L.A. Lakers

Orlando Magic Beat L.A. Lakers
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—This appeared to be a new acquire of which really meant something to get Orlando.

Dwight Howard(notes) obtained 31 points—19 while in the minute half—plus 13 rebounds as the Magic earned their initial victory over a earning team with more than any month, beating a Los Angeles Lakers 89-75 for Sunday.


“This has been form of for you to prove to ourselves that we can beat this best teams inside the NBA,” Orlando forward Ryan Anderson(notes) claimed. “Them appeared to be a new must-earn to get us within a sense that many of us haven’testosterone levels been playing well against good teams.”

In a nearly two months since they reshaped their roster with a couple of blockbuster trades, this’vertisements been hard so that you can tell whether your new-look Magic have the particular chops so that you can make a new deep playoff run. Those queries still linger, but some sort of decisive acquire over your defending NBA champs had been this beginning point they’ve been seeking pertaining to.

Kobe Bryant(notes) and also Andrew Bynum(notes) each scored 17 for you to lead this Lakers, held to help a new season low with points. Lamar Odom(notes) added 15 plus Pau Gasol(notes) 11.

“Offensively most people were really stagnant. Defensively most of us may have been any little better. Nonetheless they acquired 89 points. This appeared to be a new winnable game as far as points go. However most of us didn’t put any in place,” Bynum said.

Orlando rebounded from a new six-point home loss to be able to New Orleans on Friday plus your snapped a string associated with eight direct losses for you to teams by using successful records. Orlando’utes previous victory against a team above .five-hundred ended up being Jan. 8 in Dallas.

The actual Lakers’ loss snapped a new four-game earning streak. They conclude their seven-game road trip with visits for you to Charlotte upon Monday in addition to Cleveland with Wednesday.

Howard scored the eighth straight point to give the actual Magic a 71-60 edge having simply just under 10 minutes in order to play.

The actual Lakers scored a few directly, but the particular Magic quickly responded using six consecutive points—including some of baskets by Brandon Bass(notes)—so that you can increase their lead to help 77-65 on the 7:48 mark.

Bass, who missed a previous six games with a sprained left ankle, didn’t start Thursday, but made his or her first appearance since Jan. 31 using 7:56 left within the initially quarter immediately after Anderson picked upward her next foul.

Howard had been fouled with the putback dunk by Gasol together with 5:38 left brilliant free throw made it 84-69. The Lakers closed within 13, but never got closer.

Your game appeared to be physical throughout, and Howard left for fine using 1:54 in order to play with a gash under his right eye courtesy associated with Odom during a new fight for just a rebound.

Your Lakers started fast, but struggled for you to get uncontested shots inside the minute half. They shot simply just 39 percent to the game and also 12 percent out of 3-point range. Bryant went 6 pertaining to 12 by this line of business within the initially half but finished 8 associated with 18.

The Magic weren’testosterone much better via beyond the actual arc (7 involving 23), but dominated on the boards that has a 46-34 edge.

Bynum slowed down Howard several early, but appeared to be able to lose his wind while in the secondly half during times. A Lakers furthermore struggled from your free throw line, likely 7 regarding 15.

Bryant didn’big t go towards line on all. The very last time he / she didn’to attempt the free throw has been March 24, 2010, against San Antonio.

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy claimed he appeared to be pleased with this team defense that will didn’big t allow your Lakers many open looks to the perimeter.

“If you carry away their easy baskets along with their free throws … and if they’re going to shoot contested jump shots, you’re likely to have to be able to live having of which,” they stated. “We got a little lucky tonight—Kobe didn’t shoot this ball as well as he or she’utes capable involving. Nonetheless from least that’ersus precisely what most of us left them using.”

Your Lakers hopes of getting rear in the game ended which includes a slow start to your fourth quarter.