Orlando's Ryan Anderson wanders onto the court during a timeout in the final minutes of a loss to Atlanta on Friday. John Raoux / Associated Press

Last year Atlanta became one the early surprise teams of the playoffs when it beat Orlando in the first round.

Despite playing most of this season without one of their biggest pieces, the Hawks again look like the more capable team opposite a Magic squad they used to always be one step behind.

Jannero Pargo hit five 3-pointers and had 17 points, and Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams each scored 16 as the Atlanta Hawks took advantage of a Magic team playing without center Dwight Howard, cruising to a 109-81 victory on Friday night

The Hawks earned their third straight win over the Magic this season and have now won six consecutive regular-season meetings over their division mates. All three of the victories have come without center Al Horford, who played only 11 games this season before tearing the pectoral in his left shoulder.

Atlanta shot 50 percent from the field (40 for 79), including 14 3-pointers. The Hawks led by 35 at one point.

"We've been in situations this year where key players were out for the opposition and we haven't come out and played with energy and intensity," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "I thought we did that from start to finish. We stayed the course. I'm real proud of that."

Pargo said it was a situation where the Hawks were able to take advantage of the looks at the basket the Magic gave them.

"I think we did a good job of running the offense," he said. "Our offense doesn't change. It doesn't matter who they have on the floor. Our offense doesn't change. Same offense, just a little more crisp today. We played hard and we played together."

Glen Davis and Von Wafer each scored 16 points to lead the Magic. Orlando lost its second straight and fell to 1-4 without center Dwight Howard, who sat for the fifth time in seven games with back spasms.

It appears Howard's absence will be even longer, though, with the team announcing after the game that Howard was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his lower back by Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles.

Howard flew out there earlier Friday for a second opinion for what had previously been called back spasms since he injured his back in March.

There is no timetable for his return and it will be based on how he responds to treatment.

Howard was scheduled to fly back to Orlando on Saturday.

Smith, a friend of Howard's going back to preschool in Atlanta, visited Howard's home Thursday and said he "was pretty much in his room getting a massage" on his back.

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy says Howard was in pain following the team's practice on Thursday and the coach wasn't optimistic he'll be ready to play at Cleveland on Sunday or against Philadelphia on Monday even before his latest diagnosis.

The Magic entered Friday tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference with Atlanta, though the Hawks hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. Atlanta took over sole possession of fifth with the win.

None of the Magic players said they'd heard an update of Howard's status afterwards, but said it didn't effect what they needed to do over their final seven games.

(China Daily 04/15/2012 page7)