Orlando Magic 106, New York Knicks 102

Orlando trailed by nine points entering the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden on Monday. By the end of the game, it was clear that the Magic are in a much different class than the Knicks.

For the second straight game, New York hung with the Southeast Division-leading Magic and had every chance to win it. Unlike Saturday's meeting in Orlando, the Knicks held the lead the entire game and looked in complete control. But New York could never quite put the game out of reach.

Then Hedo Turkoglu and the Magic started hitting the shots -- namely 3-pointers -- that they were missing. Turkoglu scored 10 in the final period to help Orlando comeback and win the game.

But more than that, the effort significantly increased in the fourth quarter especially on the defensive end. It seemed the entire game that Orlando was just coasting. Dwight Howard was getting his looks and keeping the Magic in the game with 29 points and 14 rebounds. But the defensive intensity was not there as New York controlled the pac eof the game and kept it at a frenetic pace.

Then Howard started blocking some shots, the rotations got sharper and New York's field goal percentage began to dip.

It fed to the offensive end where the team just played better. Even then the Knicks still had plenty of opportunities to win the game at the end.

An unsettling win... but like Saturday, it does not have to be pretty, it just has to get done.

New York has given Orlando some problems so it will be nice not to see them in a while. But with a big game against Boston on Wednesday, it would be nice to feel a little more confident about a full 48 minute effort. We will see what happens Wednesday.

Either way, it was nice to see the offense run through Howard. It really set the pick and roll up in the fourth quarter and he took advantage of the Knicks' lack of height. David Lee and Jared Jeffries both fouled out in the game and he dominated the scoring column.

Courtney Lee hit some big free throws at the end and the Magic proved what a clutch team they are again. Lee had 22 points to support Howard on a relatively lifeless offensive night.

If it were not the Knicks, I have a feeling things would be different.

A win is a win though and the "Magic number" to clinch the division is now one.