ATLANTA _ The Orlando Magic want a hard-nosed defense to be their identity.
But on Tuesday night, they won with offense.
The Magic set season highs in most offensive categories as they beat the Atlanta Hawks 131-120 at Philips Arena.
Orlando made 58.6 percent of its shots, sank 15 3-pointers and distributed 36 assists _ all season bests.
Jodie Meeks, who grew up 20 miles away in Norcross, Ga., had a happy homecoming. Meeks scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to stave off a Hawks rally.
The Magic (11-15) needed a win. They snapped a three-game losing streak.
Beating the Southeast Division rival Hawks (12-13) on their home floor made the victory even sweeter.
Big man Serge Ibaka scored 29 points, and point guard Elfrid Payton scored a career-high 26 points and dished out a career-high 14 assists off the bench.
The Magic opened the fourth quarter on an 12-4 run capped by a 3-pointer by Payton, a long 2-point jumper by Jeff Green and a free throw by Green following a technical foul on Dwight Howard for elbowing Bismack Biyombo in the face. The outburst gave Orlando a 111-100 lead with 7:54 to play.
After Howard made a free throw and Paul Millsap banked in a runner off the glass, the Magic responded.
Meeks made a floater. After a Hawks miss, Meeks struck again, sinking a 3-pointer.
His trey extended Orlando's lead to 116-103 and prompted the Hawks to call a timeout. As Meeks ran off the court, Evan Fournier leaped off the Magic bench and greeted him with a hug.
In the first half, the Magic played their best half offensively of the season. Orlando finished with 72 points _ its highest point total for any half this season.
Magic players feasted on Hawks turnovers, turning 10 Atlanta giveaways into 16 points, but the Magic were more than opportunistic.
Instead of settling for OK or good shots, they made extra passes in search of great shots.
And then they made most of their open looks, connecting on 59 percent of their attempts.
All nine players who stepped on the court during the first half dished out at least one assist.
The Magic also protected the basketball. They didn't commit their first turnover until 44 seconds remained in the second quarter _ on an errant inbounds pass by Green _ but the Hawks couldn't capitalize on the miscue. Thabo Sefolosha intercepted the pass, drove to the hoop and flubbed a right-handed dunk attempt.
A few seconds later, Fournier drove into the lane and scored on a turnaround jumper, putting Orlando ahead, 72-62, at halftime.
The Magic played without reserve center Nikola Vucevic, who missed his second consecutive game because of a sore back. Biyombo played his second consecutive game despite an injured left shoulder.
Howard dominated with his offensive rebounding early in the game. Howard grabbed seven offensive boards in the first half and helped Atlanta score 20 second-chance points in the first half.
The second half started badly for Orlando.
The Hawks opened the third quarter on a 17-5 run as the Magic were careless with the ball and misfired on a bunch of shots.
Meeks fouled Tim Hardaway Jr. as Hardaway attempted a 3-pointer. Hardaway missed the 3-point attempt, but he sank all three of his subsequent free throws. Hardaway's foul shots put Atlanta ahead, 79-77.
A few sequences later, Ibaka sank a 3-pointer to end the Hawks' run.
Ibaka and his teammates responded well the rest of the third quarter.
Atlanta's Kyle Korver sank a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired just before the end of the period to tie the score, 96-96. But Orlando pushed the ball upcourt off the inbounds pass, and Meeks made a 3-pointer of his own with 0.6 seconds left on the clock. Meeks' trey put the Magic ahead, 99-96, at the start of the fourth quarter.
It was a hint of things to come.
