But the Magic will clinch a playoff spot on Sunday if they beat Boston and the Pacers lose to New Jersey .

"That's a key for us, just to get in there and really experience what the playoffs are all about," Magic coach Brian Hill said.

The Magic can thank Howard again for turning this one into an early blowout. The Sixers had no answers around the basket for Howard, who made all 10 shots in the first half and passed his previous high of 32 points with a free throw late in the fourth quarter.

Howard has five straight double-doubles and 57 this season.

"( Boston 's) another big game. We need to come out with the same intensity as today," Howard said.

The loss officially knocked the Sixers out of playoff contention, something that was considered a mere formality in January when they were among the worst teams in the NBA. But their steadily improved play once they jettisoned Allen Iverson and Chris Webber allowed them to surprisingly play meaningful games late in the season.

Andre Miller led the Sixers with 18 points. Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver and Louis Williams each scored 14.

Iguodala missed two games with a strained lower back and Korver sat out the previous three with a sprained right wrist, but both players said this one was too important to skip.

Howard, who scored 31 points against Memphis last week, made the crowd gasp a few times with thunderous dunks. He was perfect from the floor until he missed a jumper late in the third quarter - his only miss of the game. Howard matched a career high with 14 field goals and went 7-for-10 from the free-throw line.

"A lot of them were dunks, so it feels pretty good when you can dunk the ball," Howard said, smiling. "I'm just happy I got a chance to really open up tonight and get going."

Howard did most of his damage in an 18-point first quarter, finishing off alley-oops and throwing down uncontested dunks while the Sixers were powerless to stop him. He stepped out on one possession and banked a 13-footer, but he rarely strayed too far from the basket.

"That's what all-star players do," Hill said.

When Howard scored two points in the third quarter, Jameer Nelson took over and swished a jumper from the left side and then hit a three-pointer to make it 68-48. Grant Hill, who scored 11 points, gave Orlando a 22-point lead with a jumper.

Darko Milicic added 14 points and Hedo Turkoglu had 13 for the Magic. The Magic would play top-seeded Detroit in the playoffs, the same team that eliminated Orlando in the first round of their last postseason appearance in 2003.

"We will make the playoffs," Nelson said. "We've played in big stages before in our lives. Everybody on this team has been in some sort of playoff-atmosphere type game. We have veterans on the team that can tell us about it. We just have to go out there and play hard."

The Sixers (33-46) missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons, but their late-season surge and three first-round draft picks has raised optimism following an 11-30 start.

The Sixers are .500 (28-28) since trading Iverson on Dec. 19 and 24-20 since they bought out Webber's contract on Jan. 11. The Sixers also are 12-4 at home since starting 9-15.

"I'm proud of the players," coach Maurice Cheeks said. "The type of character players we have got us back to the point where we are today. I'm looking forward to the future."

Notes: Hill was given a technical in the second quarter after jawing with Miller and the officials. Hill and Miller collided, and Hill thought it was intentional. ... Sixers F Shavlik Randolph, out since he fractured and dislocated his left ankle in practice on Nov. 30, said he won't return this season. Randolph held out hope he could play in the final games, but said he was only about 60 per cent healthy and was considering playing in the summer league. ... Nelson, who led Saint Joseph 's to a No. 1 ranking in 2003-04, visited with Hawks coach Phil Martelli. Nelson said he wasn't worried about a contract extension this summer, only about leading the Magic to the playoffs.

NBA Future:
Ty Lawson
Ty Lawson led Oak Hill Academy to a 42-1 record as a senior (won their first 42 games).Ty Lawson was first-team USA Today All-America selection. Ty Lawson averaged 23.8 points, 9.1 assists and five steals in 2006 Ty Lawson shot 63 percent from the floor, including 42 percent from three-point range. Ty Lawson had a season-high 37 points, one of nine games in which he scored 30 or more and a season-high 18 assists and had double-digit assists 18 times. Ty Lawson played for coach Steve Smith

NBA Future:
Xavier Henry
Xavier Henry is the younger brother of C.J. Henry, the 17th pick in the first round of the 2005 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft by the New York Yankees. Xavier Henry is a 6-foot-6 and weighing 205 pounds guard. Xavier Henry was committed to Kansas as a senior in High School.

More Dwight Howard Articles

Rasheed Wallace Reaches Out with Tips for Dwight Howard
Magic's Dwight Howard Receives Community Assist Award
Magic Announce 2007-2008 Schedule
Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic Set to Get Brand New Digs
Could Dwight Howard and the Magic be a Championship Team?
Orlando Extends Dwight Howard's Contract
Dwight Howard and Magic Focus on Free Agent Rashad Lewis
Dwight Howard Re-Affirms Intent to Sign $80M Extension
Magic Have Big Plans for Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard About to Strike it Rich with Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic 2007 Draft Preview
2007 NBA Draft Preview-Western Conference Teams' Needs
Dwight Howard Cautions Yi Jianlian
Chinese Language is No Slam Dunk for Magic's Dwight Howard
What Would Iavaroni Mean For Dwight Howard?
Dwight Howard and His Intramural All-Stars
Dwight Howard Picked for All-NBA Honor
Dwight Howard Wants the Longest Contract He Can Get
Struggling Dwight Howard Needs Help Not Criticism
Dwight Howard Is Healthy and Ready for Game 3
Dwight Howard Brings Magic to Brink of Playoff Spot
Howard Helps Magic Pound Grizzlies
Kevin Garnett Broke Dwight Howard's Heart
When Will Dwight Howard Be the Guy?
Dwight Howard's Debate Club
Dwight Howard Still Has a Long Way to Go
Orlando's Dwight Howard Has Emerged As a Star and a Beast
Dwight Howard May Never Let Dunk Judges Screw Him Again
Dwight Howard Stickers It To The Man
Dwight Howard's Play a Slam Dunk for Magic
Dwight Howard's Return is a Slam Dunk
Dwight Howard Selected as ESPN's NEXT 2007
Dwight Howard Selected for NBA Dunk Contest
Dwight Howard Struggling from Free-Throw Line
Dwight Howard and the Magic Falter After Blazing First Half of NBA Season
Nets Shut Down Dwight Howard to Top Magic
Hornets Need OT to Get Past Dwight Howard and the Magic
Magic's Dwight Howard Can See Bynum's Improvement
ESPN Magazine Announces 2007 NEXT Finalists - Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard 's Growth Has Helped Streaky Magic Take Division Lead
Magic Wanted Dwight Howard as Forward on Ballot
Dwight Howard Leads the Favored Magic with 16.9 Points Per Game
Shaq Should Give Dwight Howard All-Star Spot
Dwight Howard Excels at Art of Rebounding
Dwight Howard Helps Magic End Loosing Skid
Dwight Howard Second in All-Star Voting
Dwight Howard Leads Magic to Win Over Iverson-less Sixers
Dwight Howard's 24 Points, 12 Boards Lead Magic to 6th Straight Win
Orlando's Dwight Howard is the 'Beast' from East
Dwight Howard Earned NBA Monthly Honors
Dwight Howard, Magic Win Fifth Straight
Dwight Howard Leads Magic Past Jazz
Dwight Howard and the Magic Bench Out Shine 'Melo and the Nuggets
Magic's Dwight Howard Emulating Shaq with Post Excellence
Dwight Howard Struggles in Atlanta
Double Time for Magic's Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard Powers Magic Past Bulls
Dwight Howard Puts Up 22 Points and 15 Boards to Lead Magic Over Rockets 94-90
All About Dwight Howard
Nelson Returns As Dwight Howard Loads Up
Dwight Howard: Starts at Center
Dwight Howard Leads Magic in Preseason Opener
With No Hesitation, Dwight Howard Says He's Magic Leader
Magic's Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson Bloodied After Collision
Magic Champs? Howard Says 2007 Title Will Go Through Orlando
USBC Helps NBA Stars Look Good on the Lanes, Dwight Howard
Magic's Dwight Howard Makes Cut for Team USA
Dwight Howard Looks Like a Good Bet for U.S. Basketball Team
Magic's Dwight Howard Makes the Cut
Dwight Howard and the Magic Attempt to Keep Free Agents
Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic 2006 Draft Preview
Off-Season Primer: Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard Learning From Watching
No Second Thoughts for Dwight Howard on Olympic Call-Up
Dwight Howard: The Face, The Franchise, The Future
Dwight Howard And Kobe Bryant Named Players Of The Month
Dwight Howard Tackles Expedition Everest
The Orlando Magic Extend Dwight Howard Contract Through the 2007-08 Season
Dwight Howard Sparkle in Win
Magic's Dwight Howard Unhappy With Development
Dwight Howard Joins Big Boys
Dwight Howard Expects More of Himself
Magic Big Men Dwight Howard and Darko Milicic Work Well Together
Magic's Milicic Meshing Well With Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard Expected to Try Out for U.S
At 20, Dwight Howard Can Become Youngest Leading NBA Rebounder
Dwight Howard Getting Ready for Houston 's NBA All-Star Weekend
Sad truth: If an All-Star Doesn't Fit, Somebody Must Sit; Dwight Howard
Star-Snubbed Dwight Howard Can't Rescue Magic
Dwight Howard's Steady Play Helps Magic End Losing Streak
Dwight Howard Enjoys Visiting Family
Dwight Howard Leads Rookie Challenge
Sixers Notes | Magic's Dwight Howard Wows Cheeks
Dwight Howard Star As Magic Eclipse Suns
Dwight Howard Reveals He'll Play For U.S. Olympic Team
After Shaq, It Was a Long Road to Dwight Howard
Trend Spotting In the NBA - Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard and the Magic Hand Bobcats 108-92 Beating
SPECIAL: Dwight Howard Interview, By InsideHoops.com
Dwight Howard, Magic Roll Past Bucks
Magic's Dwight Howard Leaves Game With Injury
Dwight Howard 's Success Rubs Off On Battie
Dwight Howard to Host Prayer Breakfast
Dwight Howard Comparisons to Mr. Robinson
Dwight Howard Looks For Ways To Help Out
Dwight Howard Now Encounters Frustrating Double-Teams
Dwight Howard 's Big Night Helps Magic Spellbind Bobcats
Dwight Howard's Confidence Growing
Dwight Howard's Sophomore Jump?
Dwight Howard Scores 20 As Magic Beat Hawks
Dwight Howard Growing Into Starring Role
Growing By Leaps and Bounds
Catching Up With Dwight Howard
Is Dwight Howard Ready for the 05-06 Season?
Dwight Howard Shares Time and Money
NBA Stars J.R. Smith & Dwight Howard Runs Camp in Neptune
Dwight Howard - Not Your Typical Baller
Ranking The #1 Top Picks, Dwight Howard
Howard Polishes Skills To Aid Magic Transition
Howard Reaches Out On Home Ground
Magic's Howard At Camp `Trying to Learn'
Howard Isn't In Vegas To Gamble
Dwight Howard to Sponsor Basketball Camp
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard Named to NBA All Rookie Team
Okafor lands NBA rookie honour
Breakthrough preformance for Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard Rookie of the year canidate
Dwight Howard To Host NBA

• Other Super Stars Sites
  

  Greg OdenOnline.com:
  Website devoted to Greg Oden and he future accomplishments.

  ReggieBushOnline.com:
  A well-proportioned, super-swift tailback for the unbeaten and top-ranked Southern California Trojans,Reggie Bush runs, catches, passes and returns kicks in a relentlessly successful and versatile manner. Reggie Bush does anything and everything on the football field, and he does it better than everyone else. You can also check out Reggie Bush Stats as well.

  CalvinHaynesOnline.com:
  Calvin Haynes (6-foot-2/185 pounds/Reseda, Calif./Taft HS) - Averaged 22.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a junior, helping Taft to a 22-5 record

Even More Dwight Howard News