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Dwight Howard's Steady Play Helps Magic End Losing Streak

BY BRIAN SCHMITZ | The Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO , Fla. - If it wasn't for the stat sheet, you'd have little proof that Dwight Howard scored 18 points in the Orlando Magic's 100-91 victory Saturday night against the Boston Celtics.

The 16,021 eyewitnesses at TD Waterhouse Centre probably couldn't provide details how he arrived at the figure - other than a highlight-reel dunk here and a dunk there.

At 20, Howard isn't equipped with a Kevin Garnett jumper or a Tim Duncan bank shot. Howard has no go-to moves, per se. He's playing on wondrous athletic instinct alone as he learns on the job.

But it has been enough in its raw infancy to make Howard a candidate to be included in the upcoming NBA All-Star Game. He will learn Thursday whether rival coaches pick him as a reserve.

Twenty-four hours after the Magic (19-26) lost in his hometown of Atlanta to the hapless Hawks, Howard played the role of a 6-foot-11, 260-pound stopper to help the Magic halt a four-game losing streak.

Each time the Celtics (18-30) cut into the Magic's perpetually shaky lead, Howard steadied the team.

Howard completed a three-point play to give the Magic an 11-point lead early in the fourth. Howard answered Brian Scalabrine's 3-pointer that trimmed the lead to nine with a dunk.

After Paul Pierce's drive made it a five-point game at 92-87, he protected the lead again, this time with an alley-oop dunk.

"I'm just really trying to learn the game, learn where I need to be, keep learning the offense," Howard said. "I know teams are covering and stuff like that. I'm still learning."

Howard, who came in leading the league in rebounding, emerged with a bruise under his right eye, a souvenir from the battles under the basket.

"Some of those guys wouldn't let me rebound like I wanted to. I got a couple war wounds," Howard said. "I tapped the ball up. Usually it's hard to get rebounds when somebody's taller than you, got long arms. I tried to tap it out to myself, and he was coming down. His elbow came down right on my eye."

Howard also had eight rebounds and shared scoring honors with Steve Francis, with 18. Hedo Turkoglu added 15 points and Tony Battie 14.

Paul Pierce led all scorers with 37 points but made just 13 of 30 field-goal attempts.

The Magic led by as many as 15 points in the first half and shot 65 percent in the opening quarter. But they invited the Celtics back into the game, missing nine consecutive shots and committing four turnovers in the second period.

The Celts went on a 16-9 run and trailed just 48-42 at intermission. Boston pulled to 71-69 after three quarters.

Then Keyon Dooling scored three consecutive baskets to open the final quarter, a cause for celebration considering he had missed 27 of his last 35 shots.

Pat Garrity added a jump shot, and Howard completed a three-point play to give the Magic some breathing room at 82-71.

Orlando maintained the lead, but it felt as if it were built on quicksand.

And sure enough_some missed shots here, some turnovers there_Boston closed to 92-87.

The Magic just had to hold off Pierce at the end to stop their losing streak from getting out of hand.

How bad did the Magic need this victory?

Does a thirsty man need a Big Gulp? Does this Super Bowl need to be played at room temperature?

"(Friday night) was disappointing. We really wanted to get a win," Howard said. "We really had to put that behind us."

Howard says that reaching the playoffs is more important to him than making an all-star team or winning any rebounding title.

Still, he is winning over coaches despite having so much more to figure out. "I think he's phenomenal," Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said. "When you look at his progress, you got to definitely give him strong consideration for the all-star team. Howard deserves it if he makes it."

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