Magic-Bucks Game Review - USA TODAY

Magic-Bucks Game Review

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Quiet for most of the night, Ryan Anderson knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer with 18.1 seconds remaining and the Orlando Magic edged the Milwaukee Bucks, 93-90, on Monday.

Down by three, Milwaukee elected not to go for the tie with 5.1 seconds left and Larry Sanders missed an easy layup after breaking free in the paint. The loose ball was batted around and time ran out on the Bucks.

Dwight Howard had a huge night with 28 points and 16 rebounds while Jameer Nelson chipped in 15 points and five assists for the Magic, who have won all three games against the Bucks this season. Orlando has won five of its last six overall.

Anderson had nine points and 11 rebounds in the win.

Ersan Ilyasova scored 15 points with 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who have lost five of their last six games. Sanders finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

A 6-0 flurry by the visitors late in the final stanza gave the Magic an 87-86 advantage with 1:23 to play.

Anderson made 1-of-2 from the line, Hedo Turkoglu nailed a step-back jumper from the baseline and J.J. Redick gave the Magic the advantage with a three- pointer from the top of the arc.

Sanders' layup underneath the basket gave the Bucks the lead right back on their ensuing possession, but Howard tied the game at 88 after splitting a pair of foul shots.

With 31.2 seconds to play, Brandon Jennings got his tough floater to fall to give the Bucks a 90-88 margin.

But Anderson had the answer.

Redick initially missed a runner, but Nelson picked up the offensive rebound and dished to Anderson at the top of the arc and he nailed the wide-open trey.

"A wide-open look," said Anderson.

"Jameer made a nice play to keep that going," said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. "They had been doing a very good job of staying with Ryan on his threes tonight, but off of an offensive rebound, everybody's in there rebounding and it gets tipped out and he's just standing there by himself."

After Jennings lost the ball out-of-bounds at the other end, Nelson made a pair of free throws to make it 93-90 with 10.8 left.

"We were probably one rebound away from winning the game," said Bucks coach Scott Skiles. "We just couldn't get the rebound and Anderson drilled the shot."

The Bucks scored 13 points off turnovers in the opening quarter and took a 29-27 lead into the second. Orlando made four of its nine attempts from beyond the arc, but turned the ball over six times.

The Magic held the Bucks to just 27.3 percent from the field in the second frame as the visitors took a slim 49-48 advantage into the locker room. Howard had 17 points and nine rebounds to pace Orlando in the opening half.

The contest remained tight in the third as Milwaukee took a 70-67 lead into the final quarter.

21 Feb, 2012