“He stepped up big today,” Van Gundy said. “It’s not just scoring, that was his best rebounding game, maybe of the year.”

Kapono and Anthony Parker each scored 12 for the Raptors, who were just 2-for-15 from 3-point range. Bosh finished 16-for-26.

“In the second half, we shot the 3 well, and that’s big for us,” Van Gundy said. “Obviously, it’s a big thing for them, too, and they didn’t shoot it well today.”

Orlando used big first quarters to win Games 1 and 2, while Toronto fed off the energy of its home crowd to build a big lead in the opening half of its Game 3 win. This time, however, neither team was able to pull away early.

Howard continued to dominate inside, posting 12 points and seven rebounds in the first as Orlando built a 29-21 lead. A three-point play by Jamario Moon and a breakaway dunk by Bosh helped Toronto trim the gap to 31-26 after 12 minutes.

Howard didn’t score again before the half, but Bosh followed a 10-point first with an 11-point second and the Raptors went 11-for-20 from the field, outscoring Orlando 27-17 to open a 53-48 edge at intermission.

Moon strained his groin when he slipped while trying to catch a fast-break pass from Ford in the third. Moon stayed in the game, clutching the area with his hand until the Magic called timeout and he was replaced by Jason Kapono. After taking him to the locker room for examination, the training staff declared Moon fit to return, but he did not play again.

Notes: Orlando got its first playoff road win since April 20, 2003, at Detroit. ... Howard finished 1-for-6 from the free throw line and has gone 9-for-23 since a 9-for-11 showing in Game 1. ... Actress Mila Kunis attended the game.

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