Even if Dwight Howard sits for a second consecutive game, it will likely not be a huge risk for the Orlando Magic on Monday night when they face a Golden State Warriors team that has dropped 11 of its last 13.

Orlando (18-6) finishes its five-game western swing at Oracle Arena following a 103-94 victory over Utah on Saturday night that marked the first missed game of Howard's five-year career. He had played in 351 straight, starting 350 of those.

Howard left Friday night's 113-112 loss to Phoenix in the third quarter with soreness in his left knee. He is day-to-day.

Marcin Gortat had a decent game replacing Howard with four points, four rebounds and four blocks, but the Magic would gladly welcome back their starting center into Monday night's lineup - Howard is averaging 24.0 points, 24.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks in his last two games visiting Oakland.

Gortat has 12 points and 10 rebounds in 43 minutes over the last two games after logging less than 20 minutes combined in six previous appearances.

Warriors center Andris Biedrins, who is averaging career highs with 15.1 points and 12.2 rebounds in 2008-09, could benefit if Howard doesn't play. Biedrins is averaging just 5.8 points and 7.7 boards in six career games against Orlando, while Howard is averaging 19.3 points and 15.7 rebounds in those games.

Even without Howard, who leads the league in rebounding (14.1) and blocks (3.9), Orlando improved to 3-1 on its road trip with a dominant defensive third-quarter effort against the Jazz, outscoring them 34-12 and holding them to 3-of-15 shooting.

"That third quarter was tremendous,'' said Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy, whose team has won nine of its last 11 away from Amway Arena. "I'm proud of our team and this was one of the best wins I've ever been a part of."

Rashard Lewis led Orlando with 27 points and nine rebounds, Hedo Turkoglu had 23 points and Jameer Nelson scored 10 of his 17 in the third quarter as the Magic erased a 56-46 halftime deficit.

"We outplayed them like crazy in the second half,'' said Nelson, who is averaging 16.8 points, 6.0 assists and 2.4 steals in five games since missing five games with a hip injury.

In Orlando's 123-117 overtime win at Golden State on Dec. 3, 2007, Nelson posted a double-double with 22 points and 11 assists.

Golden State (7-17) enters following back-to-back losses on Friday and Saturday. The Warriors' 123-105 loss to Denver on Saturday was their eighth defeat in their last nine road games.

"We knew it would be a tough, going back-to-back and coming up here, and it was,'' said Golden State coach Don Nelson, whose team has lost its last 11 games by an average of 14.3 points. "We survived. We're here. The game is over and we lost."

Jamal Crawford has been experiencing a lot of that since being traded from the New York Knicks on Nov. 21. Crawford, who led Golden State with 25 points against the Nuggets, is averaging 17.2 points as Golden State has lost nine of 11 since his arrival.

Playing with the Knicks, Crawford averaged 19.0 points, 5.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds versus Orlando in 2007-08.

Rookie forward Rob Kurz posted a season-high 20 points against Denver in his first career start, but Golden State has been thin up front for the last two games, with Brandan Wright and Ronny Turiaf out with the flu. The two could return on Monday.

Orlando has won three of its last four at Golden State.