Turkoglu leads Magic over Warriors 110-90
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Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu (right) unloads a pass in front of New Jersey Nets forward Derrick Favors during their NBA game in Newark, New Jersey, on Monday. The Magic won 110-90. Ray Stubblebine / Reuters |
Hedo Turkoglu gave Magic fans a glowing demonstration of why the team made him a key figure in its massive reorganization two weeks ago.
Turkoglu, part of two trades involving eight players that Orlando engineered to reload its roster, had 10 points, 10 assists and 14 rebounds in the Magic's 110-90 rout of Golden State on Monday night.
"I'm glad I finally did something to help this team win," said Turkoglu, who has been steady in nearly every game since his return to the Magic. "When I have the ball in my hands, I'm able to do the things I'm good at. My strength is to be the guy who is a facilitator, get my shot or find one for my teammates."
It was the third triple-double of his career and helped the Magic run their winning streak to six games. Dwight Howard scored 22 points and grabbed 17 rebounds.
Jason Richardson, who came to Orlando from Phoenix with Turkoglu and Earl Clark, said the Magic are taking better advantage of Turkoglu's ball-handling skills than the Suns did. Much of that was evident in the second half when Orlando outscored Golden State 66-37 to erase a nine-point halftime deficit. Turkoglu had seven assists in the final two periods.
"It's great to see Hedo come back and play the kind of basketball he's capable of playing," Richardson said. "It was a different situation in Phoenix. Steve (Nash) was so great with the ball out there and we couldn't really figure a way to play them together out there.
"But (Turkoglu) is like having another point guard here. He knows the system and he's really taking advantage of it," Richardson said.
Howard played a key role in opening up the floor for Turkoglu and his teammates. Orlando made 15 3-pointers, 12 in the second half when the Warriors couldn't decide whether to smother Howard inside or stay with Orlando's shooters out on the perimeter. Turns out, they did neither.
"When you've got to deal with Dwight Howard, it's going to force your team to help in ways you don't really want to help," Golden State coach Keith Smart said. "Unfortunately, we don't have anyone who can guard him one-on-one."
The Warriors had things going their way in the first half when they outrebouned Orlando 25-17 and slipped away to a 53-44 halftime advantage. Dorell Wright had 12 of his 17 points, but neither Wright nor his teammates could keep up with the Magic after the break.
"Maybe we can just play a half and go home," said Smart, whose team blew a 14-point halftime lead in Miami two nights earlier. "We played very, very good basketball against two elite teams and for whatever reason, didn't come out in the second half and play at the level necessary to win."
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