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Wolves Fall Apart In Second Half Again In 108-99 Loss To Orlando

(Sports Network) - Jason Richardson and J.J. Redick each scored 21 points to pace the Orlando Magic over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 108-99, at the Target Center.

Dwight Howard added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Magic, who snapped a brief two-game skid. Ryan Anderson chipped in with 15 points and 11 boards off the bench.

Corey Brewer finished with 23 points and five steals for the Timberwolves, who have dropped six of seven. Luke Ridnour tallied 19 points and six assists and Darko Milicic added 13 points and six boards.

Kevin Love recorded his 27th consecutive double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Minnesota held a 29-20 lead after 12 minutes of action, but the Magic kept it close and trailed by a 55-48 margin at the break.

Richardson made two three-pointers early in the third quarter to cut the gap to one. His alley-oop dunk with 8:34 left gave Orlando a 60-58 edge.

Ahead by one, 70-69, with 5:22 remaining, the Magic used an 11-2 surge to create some breathing room. Hedo Turkoglu sparked the burst with a jumper and three-pointer. Redick's 22-foot jumper gave Orlando an 81-71 lead, but Minnesota got a tip-in from Nikola Pekovic prior to the end of the frame.

The Timberwolves never got closer than five in the fourth.

"I was very pleased with how our guys played tonight for the vast majority of the ball game," Minnesota head coach Kurt Rambis said. "I thought they played a very solid game mentally and physically, doing the right things, they stuck to the game plan. They did a good job controlling the pace and the tempo of the ball game. They played the way we wanted to play."

Game Notes

Orlando handed the Timberwolves a 128-86 defeat back on November 3 this season at Amway Center. The Magic have won six straight in the series and are unbeaten in the past five matchups in the Twin Cities...Minnesota forward Michael Beasley did not play due to a sprained left ankle...The Magic went 11- of-29 from beyond the arc.

Photographs by Micah Taylor, clairity, and Fibonacci Blue used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.