Augustin leads way for Bobcats

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Howard's 45 lead Magic past Bobcats

Dwight Howard had a career-high 45 points, to go with 19 rebounds and eight blocks, leading the host Orlando Magic to a 107-102 overtime victory against the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday.

The Magic got 17 points from Rashard Lewis, who joined Howard on the Eastern Conference All-Star team last weekend.

The double-double was the 18th straight for Howard, tying Shaquille O'Neal's franchise mark.

Blazers' big run beats Bobcats

Brandon Roy scored 25 points, Andre Miller added 15, and the visiting Portland Trail Blazers beat the Charlotte Bobcats 80-74 on Saturday night for their sixth straight victory.

The Blazers (8-3) used a huge run that overlapped the second and third quarters to send the Bobcats (3-6) to their fourth straight loss.

Bobcats forward Boris Diaw connected on five straight shots and scored 11 of his team-high 21 points in a 13-2 Charlotte run, closing the gap to 55-51 after three quarters.

Nuggets destroy Hornets

Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets looked like the only ones having fun in this party town.

Anthony scored all of his 26 points in the first three quarters, and Denver thoroughly dismantled the New Orleans Hornets 121-63 on Monday night to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

The New Orleans Arena was mostly empty by the end of the third quarter, when Denver led 89-50 on its way to the most lopsided playoff win in franchise history. It was also the worst playoff loss ever for the Hornets.

Recap: Cleveland vs. Charlotte

LeBron James scored 15 points and new Cavaliers teammate Shaquille O'Neal played limited minutes in starting the preseason opener, as Cleveland beat Charlotte, 92-87, at Quicken Loans Arena.

James, the reigning league MVP, shot 5-of-7 from the field in just over 14 1/2 minutes of court time.

O'Neal tallied six points and three boards in nearly 16 minutes of playing time. O'Neal, a 15-time All-Star, was acquired by Phoenix over the summer in the deal that the Cavs hope will finally end Cleveland's championship hex. The city hasn't won a major sports championship since 1964, when the Browns captured the NFL crown.

Cavs shoot down Mavs

Mo Williams made all seven of his 3-point attempts, LeBron James scored 25 points with 12 assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rebounded from a lackluster loss in Charlotte by beating the road-tested Dallas Mavericks 111-95 on Saturday night.

Williams finished with 25 points, and Anderson Varejao scored 15 - 13 in the second half - for the Cavs, who were beaten 94-87 by the Bobcats on Friday in center Shaquille O'Neal's return after missing six games with a shoulder injury. Cleveland also got a huge boost from troubled guard Delonte West, who added 10 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes.

Also Saturday