Howard, Magic again prove to be true road warriors

The Orlando Magic on Wednesday night looked like world-beaters -- at least for 36 minutes. In the final 12 minutes, nothing seemed to go right for the best road team in the league. Had the Hawks and their Philips Arena advantage (having won 15 of 18 at home) gotten the best of the road warriors?

Orlando nearly squandered a 21-point edge, but Dwight Howard's monster double-double (23 points and 19 rebounds) would help the Magic hold on and climb to 13-5 away from home.

"We have to learn to put teams away,'' Howard said. "We can't let an Atlanta team come back like that.''

In a showdown of the top two teams in the Southeast Division, Howard and Co. again showed why they'll be a tough matchup in the playoffs -- especially if they don't have home-court advantage.

Related Video
	We have got you covered with all of Wednesday's NBA action in The Daily Zap. Play 2:20

Cleveland 111, Charlotte 81
Orlando 106, Atlanta 102
Toronto 99, Washington 93
Houston 89, Boston 85
New Jersey 100, Memphis 89
Philadelphia 110, Milwaukee 105
Minnesota 129, Oklahoma City 87
Utah 116, New Orleans 90
Denver 108, Miami 97
Indiana 113, Phoenix 110
Portland 84, Detroit 83
L.A. Lakers 114, Golden State 106

• Danny Granger, Pacers, hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer and finished with a career-high 37 points in Indiana's 113-100 victory in Phoenix.

• Pau Gasol, Lakers, had 33 points and a career-high 18 rebounds in Los Angeles' 114-106 victory at Golden State.

• Randy Foye, Timberwolves, matched his career high with 32 points in just three quarters in Minnesota's 129-87 victory over Oklahoma City.

• Paul Millsap, Jazz, had 27 points and 14 rebounds to extend his NBA-leading double-double streak to 19 games in Utah's 116-90 win over New Orleans.

• Andre Miller, Sixers, hit a 3-pointer with 28 seconds left and had 28 points and nine rebounds in Philadelphia's 110-105 win in Milwaukee.

• Yao Ming, Rockets, had 26 points and eight rebounds to help visiting Houston beat Boston 89-85.

• LaMarcus Aldridge, Trail Blazers, had 26 points in Portland's 84-83 victory over visiting Detroit.

• Dwight Howard, Magic, had 23 points and 19 rebounds in Orlando's 106-102 victory in Atlanta.

• Vince Carter, Nets, had 25 points and a season-high 12 assists in New Jersey's 100-89 home victory over Memphis.

• Andrea Bargnani, Raptors, had 25 points in Toronto's 99-93 win in Washington.

Cleveland beat Charlotte 111-81 on Wednesday night to improve to 18-0 at home. ... NBA scoring leader Dwyane Wade had 31 points in Miami's 108-97 loss in Denver. ... Portland beat Detroit 84-83 to end the Pistons' winning streak at seven games. ... Minnesota has won four straight and is 6-2 since dropping 13 in a row.

Shaquille O'Neal missed Phoenix's game Wednesday night against Indiana because of a back injury. ... Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut has missed three games because of back spasms. ... New Jersey scoring leader Devin Harris sat out New Jersey's victory over Memphis because of a sore right hamstring.

Oklahoma City acquired a conditional 2009 first-round pick and guard Chucky Atkins from Denver on Wednesday for center Johan Petro and a 2009 second-round pick. ... Toronto got under the luxury tax threshold, trading swingman Hassan Adams to the Los Angeles Clippers for cash and a future second-round draft pick. The Clippers then waived Adams. ... Miami traded guard Shaun Livingston and cash to Memphis for a conditional 2012 second-round pick. Memphis then waived Livingston. The Grizzlies also waived forward Darius Miles.

"Sometimes I eat too much of my mama's cooking." -- Dwight Howard on being back home in Atlanta for the day.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.