Phoenix loses 2nd straight game without NashORLANDO: All-Star center Dwight Howard led the Orlando Magic to a 105-89 victory over a depleted Phoenix Suns Thursday, the visiting team unable to overcome the absence of two-time NBA most valuable player Steve Nash. The Magic, winners of three straight games and leading the Southeast Division with an 8-3 record, had six players score in double digits. Howard led the way with a double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in less than 30 minutes, while Jameer Nelson added 15 points and 12 assists. Orlando went on a 13-0 run in the first quarter to take an early 12-point lead, which it extended to 62-34 by halftime and never looked in danger of relinquishing the advantage. “If you look at their numbers, they're not a great defensive team anyway,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “They're an up-and-down team that's going to score a lot of points, and without Steve Nash it's hard for them to play at that pace. And then we shot the ball very well.” The Suns, without starting point guard Nash because of a groin injury, lost their second straight road game in as many nights and dropped to 6-6 on the season. “He's (Nash) our Kobe (Bryant),” Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry said of Nash. “He's our Dwight (Howard). He's the engine that makes the car go. But we've still got to do a better job of competing.” Grant Hill led the Suns with 21 points. Goran Dragic, playing in Nash's point guard position had 10 points, four assists and four rebounds. The Magic dominated the Suns and led by as many as 32 points before taking their starters out of the game and coasting to victory. Trail Blazers 86, Nuggets 83: In Portland, Oregon, Portland rallied in the second half to edge Denver. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 24 points and Wesley Matthews added 20 for the Blazers, who trailed by as many as nine points after halftime, but outscored Denver 17-12 during the fourth quarter to pull out the win. Aldridge hit 9 of 20 shots and grabbed 10 rebounds during a 41-minute performance. Matthews, starting his second consecutive game in place of injured Brandon Roy, hit three consecutive 3-pointers during the second quarter. Pacers 107, Clippers 80: In Indianapolis, Danny Granger scored 22 points as an undermanned Indiana overwhelmed lowly Los Angeles. Roy Hibbert had 18 points and eight rebounds, while Brandon Rush and A.J. Price each added 14 points for the Pacers, who shot 51 percent from the field to make up for the absence of starters Darren Collison and Mike Dunleavy. Collison sat out with a sprained ankle, while Dunleavy missed the game because his wife was in labor. Indianapolis native Eric Gordon had 19 points for the Clippers. All-Star balloting NBA officials unveiled the ballot for the 60th NBA All-Star Game Thursday as balloting began to determine the starting line-ups for the annual showdown set to be played in Los Angeles next February. Fans worldwide can vote daily for their favorite players, including in 20 languages on the league's website, via mobile telephones and at NBA arenas. For the first time, NBA supporters can print paper ballots at home and mail them to the league. Wireless and internet balloting will conclude on January 23, six days after paper ballot collections are halted, and All-Star starters will be announced January 27. The ballot features 120 players, 60 each from the Eastern and Western Conferences, with 24 forwards, 24 guards and 12 centers from each conference. Six reporters who regularly cover the NBA determined the names for the ballot. Los Angeles will host the all-star match-up for the fifth time, having last done so in 2004.
