Magic nose past Hawks for 2-0 lead

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Maybe all the Orlando Magic needed after a slow start was a slap in the face.

Dwight Howard came back from a bloody nose to finish with 29 points and 17 rebounds, and the Magic beat the Atlanta Hawks 112-98 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Vince Carter had 24 points with some big shots late and Rashard Lewis finished with 20 points, leading Orlando's 19-2 run in the fourth quarter. The perennially poor free-throw shooting Howard also was 13 for 18 from the line.

"Every time I step up there, just believing it was going in," he said.

Game 3 is Saturday in Atlanta.

"Go home and win. We've been pretty good on our floor," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "They took care of their business on their home floor. We're going to see what we're made of."