INQUIRER Sports

ORLANDO ? Dwight Howard scored 25 points and Ryan Anderson added 20 with 10 rebounds Wednesday as the depleted Orlando Magic handed Phoneix their first loss of the NBA season.

Even without injured Vince Carter and suspended Rashard Lewis, the Magic built a 23-point lead in the third quarter en route to a 122-100 victory.

Amare Stoudemire finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds for Phoenix, who erased deficits in the first half but couldn't rally when it mattered.

Howard scored 17 of his points in the third quarter. The Magic, leading by six at the interval, scored 25 of the third period's first 33 points to take an 83-60 lead.

The Suns trailed by double-digits for all of the fourth quarter.

Jameer Nelson added 16 points, and France's Mickael Pietrus had 15 points for the Magic.

Pietrus returned to the lineup after missing two straight games with flu-like symptoms.

Carter, meanwhile, missed the contest with a sprained left ankle that coach Stan Van Gundy said did not appear to be serious.

Lewis is suspended for the first 10 games by the National Basketball Association after testing positive for an elevated level of testosterone.