It’s never a fun thing to play the second night of a back-to-back after losing the first game, but that’s what faces the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, but they are 8-point WagerWeb.com favorites over the visiting Suns.
Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat fouled out Tuesday night in the loss to Detroit, leaving Brandon Bass to play center in the game’s final minutes, and Vince Carter sat out most of the fourth quarter. Howard endured his worst game of recent memory (8 points, 5 rebounds, 17 minutes). He also left the game briefly with a shoulder injury but expects to start tonight.
The Magic shot 36.7 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from three-point range, reached the free-throw line 16 times compared to Detroit’s 38, and scored only 24 points in the paint.
Carter, who had returned after spraining his left ankle on Friday, scored 15 points but couldn’t finish. He was unable to drive to the basket on it, he said, and played just about four minutes of the final period with the game still in doubt. He said he “tweaked” the ankle again stepping on teammate Bass’ foot and would be a game-time decision again tonight against Phoenix.
Magic swingman Mickael Pietrus didn’t play again Tuesday with flu-like symptoms, although GM Otis Smith called his condition “a cold.” The league wants teams to be cautious given the swine flu pandemic, and Pietrus won’t play tonight.
Phoenix won in Miami on Tuesday night, 104-96. The Suns won their seventh straight regular-season game, dating back to last season. Steve Nash led the Suns with a season-high 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting and handed out a game-high eight assists; he is averaging 12.5 assists and 21.5 points on 54.2 percent shooting in 2009-10. Phoenix is 4-0 for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
Phoenix swingman Leandro Barbosa missed Tuesday’s game with a sore right wrist. He’s listed as day-to-day but is doubtful for tonight. Nash averaged 20.5 points and 9.0 assists in two games against Orlando last season, when each team won on its home court.
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