NBA Game Summary - Sacramento at Orlando

Orlando, FL (Basketball News) - Steve Francis scored 29 points with 10 assists, and the Orlando Magic held off Sacramento for a 114-111 victory at TD Waterhouse Centre.

Grant Hill and Dwight Howard added 20 points apiece for the Magic, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Howard grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds, and fellow rookie Jameer Nelson chipped in 19 points and six assists in his third start.

Peja Stojakovic returned from a seven-day layoff and scored 28 points to lead the Kings, who have lost three of five. Stojakovic, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury, was 7-of-12 from the field and hit all 11 of his free throws.

Mike Bibby added 26 points and 10 assists in the loss, and Cuttino Mobley scored 14 points in his first game back in Orlando since the Magic traded him to the Kings for Doug Christie in January.

Longtime friends who expressed disappointment with the January trade, Francis and Mobley matched up for most of the game and both picked up key points down the stretch.

Orlando was ahead 112-105 when Francis blew by Mobley on the baseline for a dunk to make it a nine-point game with 48 seconds remaining.

Mobley responded with a three-pointer at the other end to get the Kings within 114-108, and after Francis missed a pair of free throws, Bibby hit a three to make it a 114-111 game.

The Magic let the shot clock run down on their last possession, and Pat Garrity missed a rushed one-handed jumper in the lane. That left Sacramento with 3.3 seconds to tie it, but Stojakovic’s three-pointer at the buzzer missed.

"We wanted to foul so they couldn’t get up a three," Nelson said, "but we played OK defense and they didn’t get off a good shot."

Orlando rebounded from a home-and-home sweep at the hands of Miami to snap a two-game losing streak at TD Waterhouse.

The Magic got off to a quick start, making their first five shots of the game and leading by as many as eight points in the first quarter. They carried a 31-30 edge into the second, and later ended the first half with an 11-2 run to lead 67-58 at the break.

Howard posted a double-double in the first half, scoring 16 points with 13 rebounds. Stojakovic showed no ill effects from his layoff, scoring 15 in the half to lead the Kings.

Nelson scored 10 in the third quarter and the Magic led 86-84 heading into the fourth.