ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jalen Green scored 26 points, Alperen Sengun had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak to a season-best eight games, beating the Orlando Magic 116-108 on Wednesday night.
Fred VanVleet added 19 points for the Rockets, who maintained their second-place position in the Western Conference, ahead of — among others — the surging Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors.
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Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) drives to the basket against Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) loses control of the ball as he goes up for a shot against Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) shoots over Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) makes a move to the basket against Orlando Magic guard Caleb Houstan (2) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, left, struggles to get off a shot as Orlando Magic guard Cory Joseph runs into him from behind during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) drives past Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 31 points. Franz Wagner added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Magic, and reserve Goga Bitadze had 19 points and eight rebounds.
Rockets: Their streak included a six-game homestand. This was only their second road win since Jan. 28.
Magic: After nine losses in 13 games and six straight defeats at home, the Magic stand eighth in the East. Banchero has averaged 33 points over the last four games.
Green and VanVleet made 3-pointers to open and close a 12-0 run late in the third quarter that left the Rockets with an 80-65 lead.
The poorest free-throw shooting team in the NBA, the Rockets made 29 of 32 (90.6%) from the foul line.
Rockets: At Miami on Friday.
Magic: At Washington on Friday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) drives to the basket against Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) loses control of the ball as he goes up for a shot against Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) shoots over Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) makes a move to the basket against Orlando Magic guard Caleb Houstan (2) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, left, struggles to get off a shot as Orlando Magic guard Cory Joseph runs into him from behind during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) drives past Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
This photo gallery features some of the top photos of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in the past week by AP photographer Thibault Camus. Nasser Al-Attiyah regained the lead in the rally after blasting the first all-sand stage of the race in the Saudi desert on Friday. Five-time champion Al-Attiyah dominated the second half of the 331-kilometer stage between Hail and Riyadh.
Rider Ricky Brabec competes during the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally between Riyadh and Wadi Ad Dawasir, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Jan.11, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Rider Luciano Benavides competes during the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally between Riyadh and Wadi Ad Dawasir, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Jan.11, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Driver Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Edouard Boulanger compete during the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally between Alula and Hail, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Rider Arnau Lledo competes during the third stage of the Dakar Rally with a start and finish in Alula, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz compete during the second stage of the Dakar Rally between Yanbu and Alula, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Driver Simon Vitse and co-driver Max Delfino compete during the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally between Hail and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Spectators attend to the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally between Hail and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Spectators watch driver Denis Krotov and co-driver Konstantin Zhiltsov competing during the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally between Hail and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Driver Nani Roma changes a tire of his car at the end of the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally between Alula and Hail, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Driver Mattias Ekstrom and co-driver Emil Bergkvist compete during the second stage of the Dakar Rally between Yanbu and Alula, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Mechanic Filip Skrobanek eats after he stopped for a bivouac following the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally between Alula and Hail, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Drivers and co-drivers pack up their tents before the start of the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally between Alula and Hail, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Driver Laia Sanz and co-driver Maurizio Gerini compete during the prologue of the Dakar Rally in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Rider Daniel Sanders drives beside camels during the second stage of the Dakar Rally between Yanbu and Alula, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Rider Skyler Howes competes during the first stage of the Dakar Rally in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Driver Denis Krotov sits on a tire as co-driver Konstantin Zhiltsov, unseen, repairs their car after they stopped for a bivouac at the end of the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally between Alula and Hail, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz compete during the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally between Alula and Hail, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Rider Luciano Benavides competes during the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally between Hail and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Driver Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli and co-driver Gonzalo Rinaldi compete during the third stage of the Dakar Rally with a start and finish in Alula, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)