Sixers fall flat again in finale

ORLANDO - It's over.

The 76ers' season is finished and, aside from the exact numbers on Amway Arena's scoreboard, it ended as it began: with a blowout loss to the Orlando Magic.

On Wednesday night, almost six months after being tossed around by Orlando in the season opener, the Sixers bowed out of the 2009-10 season with a 125-111 loss to the Magic.

In the season opener Oct. 28, Orlando won, 120-106.

The Sixers finished the season 27-55; Orlando finished 59-23 and headed for the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Magic, who looked as if they were playing an exhibition game, a tune-up for the playoffs, led by as many as 28 points and ran their plays with clever smiles as if they knew the Sixers would trail a double screen or collapse to the middle on penetration.

All over the court, guys in white jerseys were open.

Orlando, led by Jameer Nelson's 21 points in 26 minutes, finished the game shooting 59.8 percent from the field and 11 for 25 from three-point range. Dwight Howard had 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Sixers reserve forward Marreese Speights scored a team-high 23 points.

In the first half, it felt as if the Magic rarely missed: three-pointers, layups, pull-up jumpers, a baseline slam, a post-up jam.

It probably felt that way because it was that way.

By halftime, Orlando had scored 63 points and was shooting 65.8 from the field and 53.3 percent from the three-point line.

After the first quarter, the Magic was 15 for 18 (83.3 percent) from the field and 5 for 8 (62.5 percent) from beyond the arc.

Orlando's perimeter shooters had more open space than the Nebraska countryside: shooting guard Vince Carter made a trio of three-pointers before missing his fourth, a wide-open attempt from the left wing after which he looked visibly frustrated with himself.

The Sixers did a decent amount of scoring as well, and at a decent percentage, but it's just that in the first half it looked a little like throwing darts at an elephant. The Sixers would slip to the rim for a bucket, or give it down low for a score, and seconds later, Orlando would be scoring again.

The Sixers finished the half shooting 48.7 percent from the field.

On a Marcin Gortat free throw, the Magic built a 22-point lead in the second quarter. The Sixers closed it to as few as 10, 58-48 on a fading jumper by Jason Kapono with 2 minutes, 3 seconds left in the half.

Nelson immediately hit a three-pointer and a driving righthanded layup. He and Carter combined for 27 first-half points.

The Magic had their selection of wide-open three-pointers, from anywhere they wanted, and pretty much at any time.

With 20.9 seconds left in the half, on their second clear look of the possession, Carter splashed a three-pointer from the left baseline seconds after teammate Rashard Lewis had missed the same shot.

At halftime, Orlando held a 63-50 lead.