HOUSTON — Fred VanVleet scored a season-high 37 points, and the Houston Rockets snapped a five-game skid with a 118-106 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.

The loss was extremely costly, dropping the Magic into a tie for fourth place with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. They came into the night with a chance to clinch the Southeast Division title with a win and a loss by the Miami Heat, but they couldn’t get it done against Houston, and the Heat beat the Atlanta Hawks 117-111 in double overtime. In fact, all the teams the Magic are fighting for playoff position won Tuesday night.

Now the Magic are only a half-game ahead of the Indiana Pacers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and 1.5 ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers to stay out of the play-in. Orlando plays a back-to-back against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. If they lose that game, the Magic will be only a game ahead of the 76ers, so Philadelphia could tie records with Orlando and knock the Magic into the play-in round with a victory against the Magic on Friday night because the 76ers hold the tiebreaker with Orlando.

Orlando is 18-21 this season on the road and is 5-9 on the second game of a back-to-back. Three of those wins came against teams with records over .500, but only one of those wins was on the road.

However, the Magic also could clinch a playoff spot Wednesday if they win and both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat lose. Cleveland hosts the Memphis Grizzlies, and Miami plays host to the Dallas Mavericks.

“We can’t hang our heads,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We’ve got to come out and go after Milwaukee tomorrow. That’s what it’s got to be. Take the lessons from this one. Bounce back tomorrow.”

In Tuesday night's game, a basket by Markelle Fultz got the Magic within eight with about four minutes to go, but VanVleet made a jump shot followed by a three-point play to make it 114-101 about a minute later to secure the victory.

Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs scored 21 points apiece for the Magic, and Fultz added 18.

VanVleet made six 3-pointers and had eight rebounds and six assists. Jabari Smith Jr. added 23 points and Dillon Brooks had 15 as the Rockets played their last home game of the season.

“We wanted to continue to build and we know we’re out of the race, but we have four to go,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “We don’t want to just lay down and chalk it up... we fought hard and played well.”

The Magic scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter, with the last five from Joe Ingles, to cut the lead to 97-91 with about nine minutes to go.

Houston got its first points of the quarter on a 3-pointer by VanVleet, but Fultz made a layup seconds later.

The Rockets hadn’t forgotten about the 116-86 loss they suffered to Orlando in their season opener.

“They kicked our butts the first game of the season,” VanVleet said. “We definitely remember that. So it was good to get some get back there.”

The Rockets led by 12 at halftime and opened the second half with an 11-4 run to make it 74-55 with nine minutes left in the third. Jalen Green had the first five points in that stretch, and VanVleet added a 3-pointer.

Houston was up by 18 after another 3 from VanVleet later in the third quarter before the Magic went on a 10-4 run, with five points from Suggs, to get within 90-78 with 3-1/2 minutes left in the quarter.

Soon after that, Ingles and Houston’s Cam Whitmore were both given technical fouls after bumping into one another and jawing at each other. Whitmore was ejected 14 seconds after that for arguing with an official after being called for a loose-ball foul.

Ingles made two free throws, but the Rockets outscored Orlando 5-2 to close out the quarter and take a 97-82 lead into the fourth quarter.

In Wednesday night's game, the Bucks are likely to be without All-star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who left Milwaukee's game against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night with what his team called a left calf strain. As of the 2:30 p.m. NBA injury report Wednesday, he is out. Bucks forward Khris Middleton is also listed as out with injury management for his left ankle. The Bucks, who also will be playing their last home game of the regular season on Wednesday night, beat the Celtics 104-91 Tuesday night, even with Antetokounmpo's departure.

As of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Magic listed forward Franz Wagner as questionable after he sprained his right ankle Sunday night against the Chicago Bulls and did not play Tuesday. Fultz, who played Tuesday night, is also listed as questionable because of injury management on his left knee. He has not usually played this season on the second night of back-to-backs. Guard Gary Harris also is listed as out because of injury management on his right foot.

Up next

Magic: Visit Milwaukee Wednesday night.

Rockets: Visit Utah Thursday night.