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Final Score: Orlando 103 - Detroit 85
Auburn Hills, MI (Sports Network) - Rashard Lewis scored 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting, 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, and the Orlando Magic ripped the Pistons, 103-85, to put an end to Detroit's 10-game winning streak as both teams opened the second half of the season.
Keith Bogans scored 19 points off the bench, making 3-of-4 three-pointers, and Maurice Evans sank 4-of-5 from behind the arc and scored 16 points for Orlando, which ended its seven-game losing streak at Detroit. The Magic made 13-of-20 three-pointers, a sizzling 65 percent, on the way to winning their second in a row, and their first in Detroit since 2004.
"I thought that we got a lot of open looks against their zone," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. "Wide open looks and we knocked them down. I thought we did a great job of moving the ball. It was one of those nights where everything went in, but we had very open 3-point shots. I did not think there were any that we had to rush and we had plenty of time. The ball movement was great and we were able to get real good shots."
The Magic won the matchup of division leaders despite an uncharacteristically quiet night from All-Star center and slam dunk champion Dwight Howard, who finished with eight points and eight rebounds on 2-of-9 shooting.
"On the offensive side, I really couldn't get anything going," Howard said. "I was just trying to pick it up on the defensive end. Making sure every time someone came in the lane I was trying to block it. I guess it worked."
Rodney Stuckey scored 16 points to lead Detroit, which shot a miserable 38.6 percent from the field, including 2-of-14 (14.3 percent) from beyond the arc. Richard Hamilton scored 12 points, and Antonio McDyess had 14 boards and eight points for the Pistons, who had won their last 10, and seven straight at home leading up to the All-Star break.
The Magic pulled away in the third quarter. Two Chauncey Billups free throws pulled the Pistons within 57-51, but Evans sank a three to kick off 26-7 push. Bogans and Brian Cook also drained threes on the run, the latter's boosting the Magic to an 81-57 lead with 1:14 left in the quarter.
Detroit shot 3-for-21 in the third quarter.
"We took some bad shots, but for the most part we were getting some pretty good looks we just couldn't knock them down," Billups said. "I shot at least about seven or eight times in the third quarter -- real good looks I just couldn't knock them down. They beat us in everything."
Lewis sank a three in the first minute of the fourth quarter, pushing the Orlando lead to 26 points, at 88-62. The Magic cruised to the finish line from there, never relinquishing much of their lead despite emptying their bench.
The Pistons held a 25-20 lead after one quarter of play, but the Magic outscored Detroit, 32-20, in the second quarter to take a 52-45 lead into the break.
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