nba roundup Thursday’s game

Magic 90, Spurs 78

ORLANDO, Fla. — Jameer Nelson scored 24 points, and Dwight Howard had 14 points and 13 rebounds to help Orlando win for the seventh time in eight games. Howard picked up his fifth foul halfway into the fourth quarter and went to the bench. That wasn’t anything new for the Magic, who played the last two games with the All-Star center sidelined by a sore knee. Rashard Lewis finished with 15 points, and Hedo Turkoglu had 11. The Magic improved to 20-6 to open a 41‚Ñ2-game lead over second-place Atlanta in the Southeast Division. The Spurs, down by 23 in the third quarter, used a 13-4 run to draw within six in the fourth quarter, but Nelson hit back-to-back baskets to give the Magic a cushion. Nelson scored 21 of his points in the second half. The Magic will continue their bid for title-run credibility Saturday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers. The schedule was not kind to the Spurs, the oldest team in the league with an average age of 29. San Antonio lost at New Orleans on Wednesday night, and the Magic came out looking to run on the weary Spurs. The Magic took advantage, outscoring the Spurs 18-2 on the fast break in building a five-point halftime lead.

Associated Press