Magic aim to keep playoff hopes alive against Kings

Orlando continues to slide down the Eastern Conference standings and had lost three games in a row until Wednesday’s 101-90 win over Utah. The team is currently in a race with four other squads for the last two playoff spots in the conference, with little separation between the clubs.

Dwight Howard posted 31 points and 15 rebounds against the Jazz and Hedo Turkoglu donated 22 points and eight rebounds for the Magic, who are 20-13 at home this season. Grant Hill added 12 points.

Tony Battie missed 16 games with a fractured right thumb, but returned to the starting lineup against Utah and had eight points in over 29 minutes of action. However, forward Darko Milicic (strained lower back) is questionable for tonight’s contest.

After tonight’s game, the Magic hit the road for a quick two-game swing against Miami and Toronto, two teams above them in the conference standings.

The Kings, meanwhile, have lost the first three games of their current five- game road swing, including a 103-97 setback to Miami on Friday. Ron Artest had a game-high 32 points and 11 boards for the Kings, who have dropped five in a row overall.

Mike Bibby tallied 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 18 points. Sacramento is just 10-23 on the road this campaign and will conclude its swing on Monday in Atlanta.

Despite their recent losing skid and the fact that the club is in last place in the Pacific Division, the Kings are only two games out of a playoff spot.

Orlando has won two straight over the Kings and will got for the two-game series sweep tonight. Jameer Nelson’s game-winning three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left lifted the Magic over the Kings, 92-89, on December 4.