The Magic are struggling to score baskets, and their bench cannot outscore Jamal Crawford. Crawford has scored more points off the bench by his-self then the Magic’s bench combined. With Jason Richardson suspended for that game added some extra pressure
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Jamal Crawford of the Atlanta Hawks gives them a big game.
The Atlanta Hawks (44-38) hosted the Orlando Magic (52-30) for the second of their three home games, and the fourth game of this seven game series. The Magic had a chance to even things up and take home court advantage back, but the Hawks are looking to close this game out in Orlando.
Joe Johnson made a three-pointer to cap a 9-5 run by the Hawks to open the first quarter. The Magic took an early timeout as they could not score for nearly three minutes until Hedo Turkoglu made a layup to make it 10-7. Atlanta then scored the next six points to take a 16-9 lead.
The Magic began to get the ball in the hope in the last two minutes as they got within four, 21-17 off a Brandon Bass jumper. Jamal Crawford made a pair of jumpers to push their lead to 25-17 to end the period.
The Hawks opened the second quarter with a 7-2 run that gave them a 32-19 lead. The Hawks had a 14 point lead when Jamal Crawford made a jumper. Orlando got baskets from Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu to cut Atlanta’s lead to ten.
The Magic tried to cut into the Hawks lead, but the Hawks got their lead back up to ten when Josh Powell made a jumper. With .49 seconds to go in the half the Magic got a floater from Jameer Nelson to make the score 43-37. The Hawks ended the quarter with three straight points to take a 46-37 lead into halftime.
The third quarter began and the Hawks took a 50-37 lead early, and forced the Magic to take a early timeout at the 10:00 mark. The Magic bounced back as they cut the Hawks lead to six after Dwight Howard made a pair of baskets with one being a three-point play.
Jamal Crawford made a three-pointer to give the Hawks a nine-point lead 59-50. Josh Smith made it 63-54 with 2:26 left in the third. The Magic went on a 6-3 spurt to end the quarter, and cut into the Hawks lead 66-61.
The Magic started the fourth quarter with Gilbert Arenas making a layup and a three-pointer to tie the game up at 68 points apiece. Jamal Crawford made a three-pointer and Al Horford made a layup to take a 73-68 lead. The Magic battled back and Dwight Howard scored four straight points to get within one 75-74.
Dwight Howard tied the game up at 76 points apiece with 5:56 left in the game. The Hawks went on a 10-2 run that made the score 84-77 with 1:39 left in the game. The Magic got the game within one after the Hawks had a shot clock violation. Gilbert Arenas made a layup that made it 84-83 with .22 seconds.
Joe Johnson made a pair of free-throws to make it 86-83 with .20 seconds left. Dwight Howard got a tip-in with .12 seconds to make it 86-85. Joe Johnson made two more free-throws to give the Hawks a three-point lead.
With just under .10 seconds left in the game Hedo Turkoglu had the ball, and got it knocked out his hand before he pulled up for a desperation three-pointer that clanged off the rim.
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Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks
Dwight Howard had another big game with 29 points and 17 rebounds. Gilbert Arenas had one of his best playoff games in years with 20 points off the bench. Brandon Bass chipped in with 11 points.
Jamal Crawford has led the Hawks in scoring for the third straight game in a row off the bench with 25 points and six assists. Joe Johnson scored 20 points with nine rebounds. Kirk Hinrich and Al Horford scored 14 points apiece and Horford had 12 rebounds.
Jamal Crawford has outscored the Magic’s bench single handily every game this series until this game when they outscored him by one 26-25. Game 1 was 23-10, Game 2 was 25-16, and Game 3 was 23-17.
