Howard powers Magic to victory

ORLANDO, Fla. - Dwight Howard had 21 points and 15 rebounds, Vince Carter scored 15 points and the new-look Orlando Magic rolled to a 120-106 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers last night in the season opener for both teams.

Ryan Anderson added 16 points, and Jason Williams had 15 points to highlight a deep Magic bench. Orlando went ahead by 23 points at the half, scored 100 through three quarters and showed no signs of a finals hangover after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers on the same floor in June.

Marreese Speights had 26 points, and Elton Brand added eight points in his first regular-season game since missing most of 2008-09 with a right shoulder injury for Philadelphia.

The only real fight Philadelphia showed all night was when Speights went face to face with Howard after the big men got tangled up underneath the rim in the second quarter. Howard was called for a technical foul on the play.

The Sixers never got so close again. IN OTHER GAMES
HAWKS 120, PACERS 109: Joe Johnson scored 25 points, Al Horford had 24 and host Atlanta finally played some defense in an offensive shootout, pulling away in the fourth quarter for a season-opening victory over Indiana. The Pacers shot 53 percent from the field but only 5 of 15 in the final period, including an uncontested layup at the end. They also turned it over six times to finish with a staggering 25 giveaways, leading to 32 points for the home team. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 31 points. Earl Watson added 20 points for Indiana. NOTES
SPURS: San Antonio has exercised the option on guard George Hill's contract for next season. Hill averaged 5.5 points and 1.8 assists as a rookie playing behind Tony Parker last season. JAZZ: Guard/forward Kyle Korver is recovering from surgery to remove a bone spur in his left knee. GM Kevin O'Connor says Korver had the surgery in New York yesterday, and will return to Salt Lake City for rehabilitation and is scheduled to have the knee re-examined Nov. 9. THUNDER: Guard Thabo Sefolosha has signed a multiyear contract extension with Oklahoma City. GM Sam Presti announced the new deal before the team's season opener against the Sacramento Kings. Terms were not disclosed. MAGIC: Reserve forward Linton Johnson III was waived, trimming Orlando's roster to 13 players, hours before the team opened the regular season against Philadelphia. The Magic will also be without Rashard Lewis for the first 10 games after the all-star forward was suspended by the league for testing positive for an elevated level of testosterone. Reserve center Adonal Foyle is still recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, leaving only 11 players available. HEAT: Longtime starting forward Udonis Haslem has been relegated to a backup role, with coach Erik Spoelstra calling it a "difficult and uncomfortable" decision. Spoelstra released his starting lineup yesterday morning, hours before Miami's season opener against the New York Knicks. Michael Beasley takes the spot Haslem has held for five seasons. He came off the bench for much of his rookie year but, has been a mainstay with the first-team since, including in Miami's 2006 championship season. - From Wire Reports