Earlier today the Magic organization took to the streets of Orlando to thank fans for another season of support. Magic Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer addressed fans in front of City Hall. The entire Magic front office staff, community ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw, STUFF the Magic Mascot and the Orlando Magic Dancers were all part of the thanksgiving efforts. Fans were treated to drinks, donuts and a number of other giveaways.

The Orlando Magic finished the 2009-10 season with it’s second straight appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals before losing in six games.

Point guard Jameer Nelson led the team in scoring this postseason with 19 points per game on 48-percent shooting from the field. He also led the team in assists (4.8 per game) while averaging 3.6 rebounds and one steal per contest.

Center Dwight Howard averaged 18.1 points (61-percent shooting), 11.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots per game.

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About the Magic… Since it’s inception in 1989 the Magic has won five division championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010), had six 50-plus win seasons, and won the Eastern Conference title in 1995 and 2009.

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –

Spectators at Amway Arena were treated to a double-dose of heartache as the NBA game was shown on the jumbotron while the AFL action on the field was taking place.

The Magic were eliminated from the playoffs with a 96-84 loss in Game 6 on the road against the Boston Celtics. The Predators dropped to last place in the division with a 62-50 loss to the Tampa Bay Storm in the season’s first installment of the War on I-4.

– Orlando Magic –

The Magic trailed 30-19 after the first quarter of play Friday night and never found footing the rest of the way. After trailing by 13 points at the break, the Magic went on to get outscored 27-19 in the third quarter, setting the stage for the end of the season with a 4-2 loss in the best-of-seven series.

Dwight Howard shot 11-for-17 from the field to score 28 points in the setback. He also finished with 12 rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. Vince Carter scored 17 points (6-for-15) and had seven rebounds and three assists.

On the flipside, Jameer Nelson scored 11 points on 5-for-14 shooting and finished with a team-high five turnovers, four assists and one rebound. Matt Barnes made only one free throw on the night and Rashard Lewis shot just 3-for-11 from the floor for seven points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Orlando shot 27-percent from long-range (6-for-22) as only Mickael Pietrus made more than one 3-point basket. The Magic also struggled at the line, making just 59-percent of those shots. They were outrebounded 45-35.

– Orlando Predators –

The Predators trailed 35-17 at halftime and 55-29 early in the fourth quarter Friday night before clawing their way back, but eventually falling short in the end.

The rally started when quarterback Nick Hill connected with Kissimmee native Bobby Sippio in the end zone for a 19-yard score. Following an onside kick, Hill and Sippio hooked up again, this time for a 28-yard score with 4:45 left to play. Yet another onside kick followed, as did another Sippio touchdown to help chip into the Tampa lead, this time on a short run on a play set up by a long reception to T.T. Toliver.

With just 2:16 remaining, the Preds trailed 55-50 and could get no closer once Tampa drove the length of the field and punched the ball in one more time for a touchdown. The Storm then intercepted Hill in the end zone with under a minute to play to close things out. (Watch Highlights)

The Predators (3-4) are on the road Saturday, June 5 at 8 p.m. against the Tulsa Talons before returning home on Saturday, June 12 at 7:30 p.m. against the Spokane Shock. The Preds then host the Jacksonville Sharks in a division game on Friday, June 18 at 8 p.m.

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –

Kendrick Perkins was tossed from the game after picking up two technical fouls. Glen Davis and Marquis Daniels each were ushered off the court with concussions. And lastly, Rasheed Wallace fouled out with less than five minutes to go.

The Celtics hold a 3-2 series lead, which picks back up Friday night in Boston at 8:30 p.m.

In Orlando, there’s a renewed feeling that the momentum has shifted back in favor of the No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference.

“I don’t know if you can say you have momentum when you’re down 3-2 going into their place,” said Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy. “That’s hard to say. I still look at it like we’re climbing a huge mountain right here.”

At least they’ve made it look easier over the past two games than they had in the opening three games of the series. The difference for the Magic as of late has been the way they’ve dictated the pace of the game while moving the ball around the floor.

“We’ve played at a much, much higher energy level,” said Van Gundy “And clearly we’ve had a lot more guys play well.”

Along with team-leaders Jameer Nelson (24 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and Dwight Howard (21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks), there were two others that turned in double-digit scoring efforts on Wednesday.

All of a sudden they look a lot like the near-flawless Orlando Magic team from late in the regular season and during the first two rounds of the postseason. Have they found a way to reemerge from the ashes?

“We’ve always outworked and outhustled teams,” said Matt Barnes, who finished with nine points on three 3-pointers and seven rebounds. “When we play with energy and effort we’re a hard team to beat.”

Maybe all that was needed was for them to be reminded of that.

There was clearly a renewed enthusiasm in Game 5 that came by way of winning on the road in Game 4. And the fact that the Magic rebounded the basketball so well Wednesday night helped their cause this time around.

“The biggest thing in the game for us – bigger than anything else tonight – we were great on the boards,” said Van Gundy. “Everybody will look at the three-point shooting and all of that, but probably the biggest thing is that we dominated the glass.”

The Magic shot 52-percent (13-for-25) from long-range, 52-percent from the field (36-for-69) and outrebounded the Celtics 43-26 in the win.

Rashard Lewis, who revealed this week that he’s been fighting an illness throughout the series, finished with 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting and seven rebounds. J.J. Redick, the clear-cut crowd favorite, has earned quality time on the court and seemed to add even more fuel to the Magic’s burning desire to pull out another do-or-die game. He finished with 14 points on just 3-for-6 shooting from the field.

“J.J.’s just a guy I have great trust in because I know how hard he’s going to go at it, I know how hard he’s worked, and I know he’s never going to be afraid of anything,” said Van Gundy.

That attitude has clearly made its way around the locker room over the past few days.

What we were reminded of as Orlando controlled the pace of this game was that when the ball is passed around, the open shots are going down, and the boards are being crashed, that the Magic are a dangerous team to mess with.

“They stole the game in Boston and tonight they just played better than us,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers afterwards. “The team that’s been the most physical has won the games.”

Which means if the Magic can find a way to play with the same heart and intensity they have for much of the season, then they like their chances to return home for an elimination game on Sunday night.

“The pressures all on them,” said Barnes. “We know we’re going to be in a war on Friday against Boston and we’ll be ready. They’re in trouble if they let us come back here for Game 7.”

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –

The Celtics lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. It’s down to one game at a time for the Magic.

In a tightly contested game on Monday night it was Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson that led the way. Howard finished with 32 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots while Nelson scored 23 points, dished nine assists and grabbed five rebounds.

Five Magic players scored in double figures, including Rashard Lewis (13 points), J.J. Redick (12) and Matt Barnes (10).

Orlando improved dramatically on its poor performance in Game 3 to shoot 45-percent from the floor and 36-percent from long-range. But they turned over the ball 19 times and were outrebounded 47-43.

Orlando was soundly defeated 94-71 in Game 3, the first game of the series in Boston, on Sunday.

Nelson and Vince Carter led the team with 15 points each but combined to shoot just 10-for-26 from the field. Mickael Pietrus chipped in 12 points while Howard finished with seven points (3-for-10), seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Lewis was kept quiet again after turning in two silent games at home, going for four points (2-for-8), four rebounds, four turnovers and two blocks in the loss.

Orlando shot 37-percent from the floor, 27-percent from long-range, turned the ball over 17 times to Boston’s eight, and were outrebounded 43-36. Six Celtics scored in double figures.

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –

Remember those daggers he dished out in last year’s postseason run to the NBA Finals? It appeared then that the money was well spent.

With the flick of a wrist the sharp-shooting power forward can make the dollars-and-cents of such a deal seem irrelevant, no matter how ineffective or quiet a game he’s having up to that point.

Rashard Lewis (Photo by J.C. Carnahan)

Such was the case in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics at Amway Arena.

Only Lewis never had the chance to make up for his bland performance – in each of the opening two games of the series – while just three-and-a-half seconds remained on the clock Tuesday night.

“Rashard got open,” said Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy afterwards. “But because we’re inbounding in the backcourt, (Michael) Finley is back in the passing lane and we could not make the pass to him.”

Instead, Jameer Nelson’s desperation heave from 35-feet out with no time left brushed the outside of the net and put the Magic down 2-0 in the series with a 95-92 loss.

Nelson’s prayer came on the heels of two missed free throws from Vince Carter with 31 seconds to go and a few wasted seconds near the end when, following a rebound with 6.9 seconds left, J.J. Redick neglected to call for a timeout after Kevin Garnett’s jumper to beat the shot clock bounced from the rim.

Orlando now faces must-win situations on the road in Game 3 on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Game 4 on Monday at 8:30 p.m.

Lewis finished another intense and physical matchup between these two titans with just five points on 2-for-6 shooting and four rebounds and four assists in Game 2. And in case you missed it, that followed a lackluster showing in Game 1 on Sunday as he went 2-for-10 from the field for six points in a 92-88 loss.

Compare those numbers to what he did in the first eight games of the 2010 playoffs and give credit where credit is due – to the Boston Celtics. While the Celtics have chosen to play Dwight Howard one-on-one there has been little room for Lewis, and his teammates for that matter, to operate on the perimeter.

Against the Charlotte Bobcats and Atlanta Hawks, Lewis shot a combined 54-percent from the field (47-for-87), nailed 46-percent from long range (24-for-52) and was second on the team in both rebounds (44) and assists (21) while averaging 16.4 points per game.

In the conference semifinals he’s barely been a factor, scoring 11 points in two combined games after averaging 14.1 points per game in the regular season.

“Maybe I have to do something different to get involved into the offense,” said Lewis. “Because right now they’ve pretty much taken me out of the game.“

Quite a shock to the system coming off the kind of games he had to open the postseason.

“The first two series against Charlotte and Atlanta… two good teams, but not better defensive teams than the Boston Celtics,” said Lewis. “They have big bodies on the inside. They’re long, they’re active, they play the pick-and-roll well and they’re well-coached.”

All the more reason why Van Gundy was just as frustrated following Tuesday’s game as he was with the loss two days earlier.

The coach wants more passes and better shot selections. And for his team to stop forcing the issue so much on the offensive end since it’s apparent their initial impulses with the basketball have not helped their cause.

Van Gundy also mentioned something about getting Lewis more active in the offensive game plan moving forward.

“I don’t think Rashard has played badly,” said Van Gundy. “I just think they’re staying home on him and it’s incumbent on me to find a way to get him involved.”

He followed that up by pointing to Lewis’ defensive effort thus far in the series against Garnett, who scored 10 points on 5-for-16 shooting in Game 2 and just eight points following a 4-for-14 effort in Game 1.

“Both guys scored in their last series and both of them are struggling to score right now, so it’s going both ways,” said Van Gundy.

It’ll be interesting to see which one can get their all-around games pieced back together first. Not that the Celtics need Garnett in the same way the Magic need Lewis, who is well aware of what’s at stake at this point.

“When you get to the point in the playoffs when you’re in the Eastern Conference Finals and (NBA) Finals, everything counts, you’re not playing against teams that can only get so far (in the playoffs),” said Lewis. “You’re playing against the best teams in the NBA and you’ve got to play your best to win.”

Even if that means biding your time and emerging when it matters most.

The Charlotte Bobcats couldn’t stand in their way as they lost four-straight in the first round. And now the Atlanta Hawks are down 2-0 in a best-of-seven series scheduled to resume in Atlanta on Saturday at 5 p.m. and Monday at 8 p.m.

Jameer Nelson (Photo by Scott McCall)

But with the Magic on a 12-game winning steak that reaches back to April 3 – and in the mist of 26 wins over their last 29 games, in which one of those losses came at Atlanta – how will anyone knock Orlando from its perch?

“We need to put four solid quarters together to beat this team,” said Hawks Coach Mike Woodson.

To clarify, he means four solid quarters in the same game.

On Thursday in Game 2, Atlanta gave the Magic all they could handle through nearly three quarters of play before falling flat the rest of the way. They posted 27, 30 and 26 points in the opening periods before a buzzer-beating bank shot from beyond the arc by Jameer Nelson altered the remaining 12 minutes of play.

That was just seconds after Atlanta’s Jamal Crawford buried a 25-footer in Nelson’s face at the other end of the court.

“When I shot it I knew it had a chance,” said Nelson, who matched Crawford’s effort as the defender’s hand hung in the balance. “I just wanted to get it up there.”

That gave Orlando an 84-83 lead after three and led to a 28-15 fourth quarter advantage for the home team in a 112-98 win. On Tuesday in Game 1, the Hawks posted 23 in the first quarter before combining for a measly 21 points over the second and third quarters combined and staggering along in a 114-71 Magic win.

“We have to be able to finish out games,” said Atlanta’s Josh Smith. “The fourth quarter turned up to another level and we stayed at where we were at.”

Dwight Howard (Photo by J.C. Carnahan)

On Tuesday, four players scored in double figures for Orlando as the Magic were led by Dwight Howard with 21 points, Vince Carter with 20, Nelson with 19 and J.J. Redick with 10. On Thursday, four players scored at least 20 points with Howard going for 29, Carter for 24 and both Nelson and Rashard Lewis dropping 20.

The last time an NBA team had four players go for at least 20 points in the same playoff game was in 2007 when Baron Davis, Al Harrington, Jason Richardson and Matt Barnes each did so for the Golden State Warriors against the Utah Jazz.

“I thought our ball movement was pretty good and we got good shots,” said Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy. “It’s not easy to do against a good, long, athletic defensive team like they are.”

What’s been easy for Orlando this series is seemingly the efforts of Howard, who is a combined 16-of-19 from the field with 29 rebounds and six blocked shots in the opening two games.

Nelson has dished out 11 assists and drained five 3-pointer’s through games one and two and looks to be as healthy and energized as he’s ever been in his NBA career.

“I’m just taking advantage of the opportunity I have right now to try and lead this team to a championship,” said Nelson.

Not that he has to try and do it all by himself.

“This year we have a veteran team and we know how to win,” said Nelson. “We showed that toughness that we have and that winning attitude we have in the second half.”

And at this point that momentum seems to keep building with each game they play.

But that’s the power of sports in an otherwise sleepy tourist town.

The Magic get back at it on Tuesday at Amway Arena for the opening game of the second round against the visiting Atlanta Hawks, with Game 2 to follow here at home on Thursday.

Games 4-5 in Atlanta go down this Saturday and Sunday. So plan your drinking engagements accordingly.

Even if you don’t choose to booze, being out and about amongst front-running playoff fans can be as entertaining as being bogged down with those media types who cheer for the home team in the press box. It’s all so amusing in its own unique way.

While newspapers debate the future MVP potential of Dwight Howard and disregard the obvious MVP-caliber credentials of Cleveland’s LeBron James, I’m just hoping the end result in the NBA postseason doesn’t come down to referees dictating the outcome of the league’s next champion.

Like many of us, I confess to not giving much of a damn about the complaining of bad calls that take place throughout sports. It’s been going on now for so long that it’ll never change.

In order to win through obstacles such as this, you’ve just got to be sure to beat both the opponent and the system at the same time. Just in case.

Dwight already knows he needs to adjust his game to appease the posse of David Stern as they call games. He’s heard it from coaches and teammates, from players-turned-commentators, from opinionated hometown fans, and he’s likely read about it every other day as well.

Howard arguing with NBA refs is like the rest of us trying to argue with a cop that just pulled us over, or with a judge on a court date. It’s nothing but downhill from there. You’ve just got to be a little smarter about it.

But to be honest, it does feel as though the basketball world is rooting against Orlando.

The locals sense it, too. Maybe that’s why every time Charlotte owner Michael Jordan was seen on the tube, through the haze of cigarette smoke spewing from carousers at the not-so-sporty pub I found myself at for Game 4, he was badgered and cursed until something else grabbed the spectators attention.

More high-fives and pint glasses to go around with music on full blast. No reason to listen to announcers provide any amount of clarity regarding some of the calls coming down on Howard. Who needs an explanation anyway? Cue more cursing at the TV.

And I must say, there was nothing more annoying then hearing “sweep, sweep, sweep, get out the brooms, it’s a sweep!” over and over again during and after that game. How cliché. Especially since it came against the first-time playoff-qualifying Bobcats, of all teams.

It was just a year ago at this time that Cleveland fans were giddy over a similar triumph. In fact they swept both Detroit and Atlanta last year. A lot of good that did the Cavaliers back then as the battle-tested Magic derailed their title dreams in the conference finals.

So now it’s on to the next one for Orlando. Finally. An entire week later. Make sure there are plenty of drinks to go around.

The Magic are now two games away from moving on in the NBA Playoffs after taking the first two games from the Bobcats this week at Amway Arena.

Now it’s off to North Carolina for games three and four on Saturday and Monday, where the city of Charlotte will host a playoff game for the first time since 2002. That’s when the then-Hornets defeated the Magic in the first round before being ousted by the New Jersey Nets in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

“We know the level of intensity is going to go up another notch from them, being their first playoff game at home,” said Orlando’s Vince Carter. “It’s going to be crazy in there and we’re just going to have to weather the storm.”

Once the rains and winds blow through, it’ll be on to the second round to meet whoever is left standing between the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks.

Even if Charlotte pulls out a game on its own court, where they went 30-10 in the regular season, it’ll be hard to avoid the inevitable. Plenty has changed since 2002.

Orlando is just 6-6 on the road against the Bobcats but entered the playoffs having won 11 of the past 13 meetings in the series. The Magic are No. 2 in the East and have the second-best record in the league. The Bobcats have trouble shooting from the outside and have little to work with in terms of matching up against an aggressive Orlando team, led by the reigning coach of the month in Stan Van Gundy and the back-to-back defensive player of the year in Dwight Howard.

That’s a tough matchup to overcome – No. 7 seed aside. Such is life for a young and inexperienced team making its first postseason trip.

What’s worse for Charlotte is that the Magic realize just how good they are.

“We have so many weapons. It’s only a matter of time before somebody breaks out and gets hot,” said Matt Barnes, following the season finale last week against Philadelphia. “As long as we continue to play our team defense and are rebounding the ball, we’ll be hard to beat in seven games.”

Things seem to be shaping up just as Barnes envisioned.

Following a 98-89 Magic win on Sunday in Game 1 – where five players scored in double figures as Jameer Nelson went for 32 points and Howard had nine blocks and seven rebounds – Game 2 was more of the same.

On Wednesday, Charlotte was held to 30 points in the first half while Carter went for 19 points as part of a starting five that each reached double figures. Howard grabbed nine boards and Nelson dished out five assists in the 92-77 win.

It got sloppy in the fourth quarter, though. But the Magic held on to finish the job after leading by as many as 20 and never trailing throughout. Yet the Bobcats clawed back to within eight in the final minutes.

“It was a much tougher game than maybe the final score indicated,” said Van Gundy. “That team plays hard and well and never gives in. And I don’t think our team gave in either.”

The Bobcats trailed by 22 points and led by only two points in Game 1.

“We can’t play catch-up,” said Charlotte’s Stephen Jackson. “Especially in an arena as loud as this one was.”

Charlotte Coach Larry Brown wore his frustration on his sleeve after Wednesday’s game, stressing that his team must take care of the ball and find a way to get to the free throw line. They’ll need to cut back on the turnovers, too. After committing 16 in Game 1, they turned it over 21 times in Game 2.

The Bobcats clearly lack the kind of depth and firepower necessary to hang with the Magic, who in contrast rarely come across a 3-point attempt they don’t like and are completely comfortable turning to their bench at any time.

“I like our depth,” said Van Gundy. “And I certainly have enough confidence to use them.”

Apparently there’s enough confidence to go around at this point.

Dwight Howard (Photo by J.C. Carnahan)

Things are a little different this time around.

Last season the Philadelphia 76ers provided a bit of a wake-up call in the form of a close 4-2 series that eventually went the Magic’s way in the first round of the playoffs. That was despite Orlando dropping two of their first three games.

Howard says the Magic learned from that experience. And it showed with the way they finished strong in 2010 as they remained focused and never let up over the latter part of their schedule.

“It shows our maturity as a group,” said Howard on Wednesday. “We haven’t taken any games for granted and we understand that leading up to the playoffs that every game is very important.”

And that’s the only way head coach Stan Van Gundy would have it.

Leave no margin for error and keep your foot on their throats, you know, just in case you eventually find yourself in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the defending-champion L.A. Lakers. Now that would be a real sendoff for the old Amway Arena. The Magic’s home over the past 21 seasons gives way to the new Amway Center later this year.

(Photo by J.C. Carnahan)

“It wasn’t easy in any round of the playoffs last year and it won’t be this year,” proclaimed Van Gundy.

Last year the second round was won in seven games over Boston and the conference finals won in six games over Cleveland.

Defense of the Eastern Conference banner officially begins this weekend as Orlando hosts the Charlotte Bobcats in the opening two games of a best-of-seven series. Game 1 is set for Sunday at 5:30 p.m. with Game 2 to follow on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

“It’s time to get to work,” said Howard. “Everybody is serious about becoming champions, that’s our goal. We don’t want to overlook anybody or any team.”

The Magic have been in playoff mode for a quite a while now, going 33-8 over the second half of the season and winning 20 of their past 23 games. Even after clinching their fourth consecutive trip to the postseason (12th overall) there was no resting of players – Howard, J.J. Redick and Jason Williams played in all 82 games – and no taking chances on postseason seeding moving forward.

In typical fashion, Van Gundy continued coaching this team right down to the final buzzer of the regular season. In doing so, the 59-23 overall mark Orlando compiled is second best in the league behind only Cleveland (61-21). That ensures them home court in the finals should they advance that far once again.

“If you want to be a contender you use the regular season to take care of everything you can,” said Van Gundy.

Vince Carter (Photo by J.C. Carnahan)

The Magic did just that by way of winning road games against every Eastern Conference team, not losing a regular season series throughout the year, and setting an NBA record for most 3-pointers made in a season with 841.

That’s just to name a few of the accomplishments by the three-time Southeast Division title winners, who have seen the tinkering that was done to their roster over the summer pay huge dividends.

It took some time, but once the nucleus of Howard, Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis began to play nice with new arrivals that included the likes of Vince Carter, Matt Barnes and Brandon Bass, it became clear that a return trip to the finals was much more realistic this time around than their initial trip ever was a year ago.

Van Gundy said the new additions were good-character guys who he felt would mesh well with returning players and immediately be on board with the organization’s goal of winning a title.

Carter and Howard (Photo by J.C. Carnahan)

Van Gundy called his team “a very professional group of people” following Wednesday’s 125-111 win over the 76ers.

“Virtually every night they’re going to go out and give a hell of an effort,” he said.

Players adjusted to their roles all season long and Van Gundy went out of his way to congratulate them in the locker room at season’s end, particularly for maintaining the same level of intensity throughout the past six-months.

“I appreciate what our team has done,” said Van Gundy. “Sometimes, especially with a good team, everybody is just waiting for the playoffs and there’s not enough appreciation of the regular season and the grind it is and how hard you’ve got to work physically and mentality to be ready to play every night.”

Now if only this team can make it all worth their while in the end.

– Postseason info is available at the Orlando Magic website –

Dwight Howard (Photo by Fernando Media, NBA Photos)

Howard, making his fourth consecutive appearance in the event and his third consecutive start, scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, grabbed five rebounds and blocked three shots in the win.

It was East teammate Chris Bosh from the Toronto Raptors that put the game away with two free throws of his own as five seconds remained. Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony hoisted a last-second 3-pointer for the West that came up short.

The win gave Magic coach Stan Van Gundy his second NBA All-Star Game victory in as many tries. He previously coached the East to a 125-115 win in 2005 in Denver while head coach of the Miami Heat.

Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing wasn’t as fortunate, though, while coaching the sophomores in the Rookie Challenge. Ewing could only watch as his team fell 140-128 to the first-year players.

As for Howard, he made several highlight-worthy plays on the night.

After starting the game by losing the opening tip to San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, he lit up the scoreboard early by going overtop Duncan while down low in the lane, then hitting a 3-pointer from the top of the arc off an assist from the game’s most valuable player, Dwyane Wade.

Howard played the entire first quarter, scoring 11 points to help the East get out to an early 37-34 lead after the opening 12 minutes. In the period, he went 2-for-3 from the foul line and forced a three-point play by going strong at Nowitzki and following that up by slamming home an alley-oop from Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics.

He returned to the court in the third period and promptly dribbled coast-to-coast in the opening two minutes before clearing the lane and slamming down a thunderous dunk. A couple minutes later he jammed home another alley-oop pass, this time from Wade.

Howard, one of 27 players named to the 2010-12 USA Basketball Men’s National Team last week, scored his final points on the night on a hook shot midway through the fourth quarter. Following the 2009-10 season he’ll start training again with many of the players he won a gold medal with as part of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.

Howard received the third-most NBA All-Star votes overall this year – behind LeBron James and Kobe Bryant – with more than 2.3 million to his credit.