Lewis sparks Magic
Rashard Lewis had 10 points in his first game back from a suspension and the Orlando Magic beat the Charlotte Bobcats 97-91 Monday night.
Lewis looked rusty after serving a 10-game ban handed out by the NBA for testing positive for an elevated testosterone level. The All-Star forward finally found his footing late, sparking a rally that moved the Magic in front for good. Teammate Jameer Nelson finished with 16 points.
Flip Murray tied a career high with 31 points, and Stephen Jackson had 13 points and nine rebounds for Charlotte hours after the disgruntled swingman was acquired from Golden State. Even with the new addition, the Bobcats couldn’t avoid their fifth straight loss.
Charlotte never could capitalize on its chances.
Even after shooting nearly 60 percent in the first half, the Bobcats were only ahead 52-50. Things could have been worse.
Mickael Pietrus missed an alley-oop dunk off an inbounds pass with 0.2 seconds remaining in the half that would have tied it. He skied high but slammed it down too hard, causing the ball to bounce off. Officials called a foul but reviewed the play and decided the contact came after the buzzer.
It took Orlando’s missing All-Star some time to regain his old form.
Lewis picked up his first basket of the game with 2:25 remaining in the third quarter, a short jumper that started a big Magic push. He added a pair of layups that helped Orlando build a 76-68 lead.