Magic dump Wizards despite Wall's 52 points
WASHINGTON -- Elfrid Payton scored 22 of his career-high 25 points in the first half as the surging Orlando Magic defeated the Wizards 124-116 Tuesday despite a career-high 52 points from Washington's John Wall.
Payton made his first nine shot attempts, and he finished 3 of 3 on 3-point tries for the Magic, who posted their highest point total of the season. Orlando (10-12) went 4-1 on its road trip after losing four in a row.
Wall became the fourth NBA player to score 50 or more points in a single game this season. He made 18 of 31 shots, including 5 of 8 3-point attempts, and he added eight assists. The 3-time All-Star scored 33 points in the second half with 18 in the fourth quarter for the Wizards but received little help thru three quarters. Bradley Beal had 19 points for Washington (7-13).
The Wizards lost for the third time in four games.
Orlando shot 51.8 percent overall, 12 of 26 from beyond the arc and led by as many as 20 points. The Magic finished with a 26-17 scoring advantage from the free-throw line as they took a 2-1 lead in the season series.
Jeff Green scored 20 points, Jodie Meeks 18 and Nikola Vucevic 10 off the Magic bench. Led with Payton, Orlando's bench outscored Washington's 73-22.
Payton made all eight of his field-goal attempts including three 3-pointers in the first half. He entered shooting 17.8 percent (8 of 45) from beyond the arc and with a career high of 24 points.
Orlando entered averaging an Eastern Conference-low 93.2 points. Facing a Washington defense ranked 28th guarding the 3-point arc, the Magic sank 7 of 12 in the first half.
The Wizards pulled within 115-107 with 3:43 remaining, but Green's 3-pointer capped a 5-0 spurt for Orlando and effectively ended any comeback hopes.
Orlando led 65-52 at halftime after outscoring Washington 40-28 in the second quarter for a 65-52. Bismack Biyombo, who wound up with 14 points and 13 rebounds, had a driving dunk to give the Magic their largest lead at 78-58.
Washington finished 11 of 23 on 3-point attempts.
NOTES: Wizards C Ian Mahinmi missed his fifth consecutive game since making his season debut on Nov. 26. The free agent signee is dealing with a sore right knee after having surgery on his left knee in mid-October. Wizards coach Scott Brooks said Mahinmi recently had an MRI and that "everything was fine." ... Wizards assigned G Shelden McClellan to the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Developmental League, where is expected to play three to four games, per Brooks. The rookie is averaging 4.6 points in seven games with two starts. ... Orlando returns home to face the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Washington hosts the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.