Early magic sends Orlando to Game 1 win over Raptors

Round one to Superman.

Dwight Howard had 25 points, 22 rebounds and five blocks tolead the hot-shooting Orlando Magic to a 114-100 victory over the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of their NBA Eastern Conference preliminary round series in Florida on Sunday.

Howard, whose nickname comes from the Man of Steel, came into the fourthwith 18 points and added seven more, including a half-dozen in keyinga 10-0 run through the middleof the frame, as Orlando finally put away a game they should have had wrapped up much earlier.

Game 2 is Tuesday night at Orlando.

After the game, Howard proved he was mortal.

"It felt real good it was an amazing feeling for me," Howard said. "Actually, I almost got some tears."

The Magic led this one by 24 early in the second quarter but allowed the Raptors to close to within five with just over 10 minutes left in the game before taking off again.

"It is tough digging yourself a hole like that," said Toronto's Anthony Parker. "Every time we did make a run, they made a play and put it back around 10 or 12. We just never got over that hump, and I believe if we had, it would've been a tough ballgame for them. The first quarter was the difference."

Chris Bosh, whose matchup with close friend Howard dominated the pre-series hype, got into foul trouble in the third quarter and finished with 21 points and six rebounds, leaving the best offensive output for Toronto to Parker, who had 24 points and seven boards.

Bosh was often shadowed by Orlando's Rashard Lewis.

"[Lewis] fronted me the whole game," Bosh said. "He was up in my space. I should have done a better job expecting that. He did a good job; I'll be ready for it in Game 2."

The Raptors wereimpressive from the free-throw line, going 27 of 28, but it didnt make a difference.

All five Magic starters scored in double figures, including Jameer Nelson with 24 and Hedo Turkoglu with21.

The key stat was Orlandos 13-29 from the three-point line, a mark that started 9-for-11 as the Magic tooka huge early lead.

Trailing by 10 to start the fourth quarter, Torontos Jason Kapono hit a pair of threes in the first two minutes and suddenly the lead was down to five, at 88-83.

But coming out of a timeout, Orlando went on a 10-0 run keyed by Howard. First a tremendous dunk, then a putback and finally a powerful throwdown off a Keith Bogans miss restored the lead to 13 and it was over.

Toronto within 10 after 3

Trailing by 13 after a terrible first half, the Raptors were only able to shave another three fromthe margin by the start of the fourth quarter, and also had to deal with Boshs four fouls that put him on the bench with 16 points.

Nelson was also at four fouls for Orlando, but thats a trade-off the Magic would make anytime.

Howards 11 points in the quarter gave him 18 overall, despite long periods of being ignored by his own offence.

First-half disaster

It was hard to tell which coach was angrier at the half Torontos Sam Mitchell after his club allowed Orlando to race out to a 57-33 lead just four minutes into the second quarter, or the Magics Stan van Gundy after his team let the Raptors back into it by halftime, trailing 60-47.

Orlando hit on 11 three-pointers in the half, and that tied an NBA record. They also shot 80 per cent in the first 12 minutes and were still at 62 per cent by halftime.

Those 43 points given up in the first quarter were the most ever by Toronto in a playoff game, and the most scored by Orlando in a post-season period.

And then there was Howard's dominance in the paint.

"The thing we have to try to do a better job of is keeping [Howard] off the glass,"Mitchell said. "It's easy for me to sit here and say it, but I don't have to do it."

Starting Andrea Bargnani at small forward brought nothing and he was gone after eight minutes for regular starter Jamario Moon. However, Bargnani returned later to play much better.

Defensive sets not working

Defensively, the Raptors were doubling Howard early in the game but it was backfiring as other Magic players were holding a hot hand. Maurice Evans scored 11 points,Lewis had 10 andNelson potted eight.

Parkers 10 was the only bright spot for Toronto. Bosh had seven points but went to the line five times and hit all of them.

But with the gap 24 and still eight minutes to go until half, it looked like the Magic were about to disappear until Toronto started to chip away.

In Orlandos last five trips down the floor in the second quarter, the Magic turned the ball over four times, wrapped around a miss by Lewis. Led by Kaponos seven points and much better defence, the lead was 13 when the teams went for an orange slice and dry towel.

Evans finished the half with 14 points, Lewis had 10 and Howard seven, plus nine rebounds.

Bosh had seven points and three rebounds, while Rasho Nesterovic and Parker led Toronto with 12 points each.