Here’s how easy it looked to hit home runs at Great American Ball Park on Sunday: Todd Frazier lost his grip on the bat during a swing. The ball wound up in the seats anyway.ORLANDO, Fla. – Mired in a season-high losing streak, their offense struggling and shooting guard Jason Richardson slowed by a bruised knee, the Orlando Magic coaching staff made a tactical decision late last month when they decided a little rest might do their 31-year-old starter some good.
It seems they were right.
Jason Richardson scored 17 points, and Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu each added 14 as the Orlando Magic used a big second half to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 102-89 on Monday night.
Richardson, coming off a season-high 31 points in the Magic’s win at Milwaukee on Saturday, did all his damage in the first three quarters against Minnesota before sitting out the fourth. He said afterward he was not hurting, but simply deferred to teammate J.J. Redick.
Redick had seven points in the final period, and led all bench scorers with 14.
“J.J. had it going and they just let him play it out, and he did a great job and hit some shots,” Richardson said. “He had it going, so I didn’t mind sitting out the fourth quarter.”
Richardson said the two games he sat out Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 have re-energized him.
He is averaging 18 points per game in his seven games since then. The Magic are 5-2 since his return.
“It feels good,” he said. “I wasn’t healthy when I came back from the first time. I still had the bone bruise, but the competitive side wanted me to be out there and play. That’s just how I am, I hate sitting down.
“Once I got those two days off, I really got the rest I needed.”
HEAT 114, BUCKS 96: In Milwaukee, LeBron James scored 35 points and Miami finally found a way to beat Milwaukee, using a third-quarter surge to best the Bucks.
Dwyane Wade scored 22 and Mario Chalmers added 13 for the Heat, who were 0-2 against the Bucks coming into Monday night’s game.
76ERS 98, BOBCATS 89: In Charlotte, N.C., Lou Williams scored 23 points off the bench as Philadelphia built an early lead and held on to send Charlotte to its 15th straight defeat.
Thaddeus Young added 20 points and Jrue Holiday chipped in with 19 points for the 76ers (20-9).
HORNETS 86, JAZZ 80: In New Orleans, Chris Kaman scored a season-high 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and New Orleans snapped an eight-game skid with a victory over Utah.
Marco Belinelli and Gustavo Ayon each added 13 points for New Orleans.
MAVERICKS 96, CLIPPERS 92: In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points, 11 in the final six-plus minutes, Shawn Marion added 16, and Dallas held on to beat Los Angeles.
