By ANTONIO GONZALEZ
Associated Press Writer

ORLANDO, Fla.(AP) -- The last time Charlotte came to Orlando,
Stephen Jackson was suiting up for his first game since being
traded to the Bobcats and predicting his new team would make the
playoffs.

Such a statement might have seemed laughable back in November.
Now, Jackson seems to have Charlotte headed for its first
postseason berth in franchise history.

Jackson scored 28 points, Raymond Felton had 16 and the Bobcats
held on to tie a franchise record with their sixth straight
victory, 96-89 over the Magic on Sunday night

"I think big win is an understatement," Jackson said. "We're
starting to win games we're supposed to win, and we're getting
big wins, too."

Stephen Graham added 12 points to help the Bobcats pull away
with a late 12-3 run for their first win in four chances this
season against the Southeast Division leader. And they did it
without All-Star Gerald Wallace, out with an injured left ankle.

After winning the last seven games against Charlotte, the
defending Eastern Conference champion Magic can easily see the
biggest difference with their division foe.

"Stephen Jackson," Magic point guard Jameer Nelson said. "He's
good for that team. He's playing well. He's definitely stepped
up their level as a team. The intensity that he brings to the
game offensively, defensively, the emotions, everything, is a
positive for that team."

Dwight Howard had 27 points and 16 rebounds, and Vince Carter
finished with 23 points for the Magic, who had their eight-game
winning streak snapped. Mickael Pietrus added 20 points in place
of injured starter Matt Barnes, sidelined with a sprained left
big toe.

"We weren't very good at anything," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy
said. "We didn't rebound. We didn't take care of the ball. We
didn't shoot well. We didn't defend. We just weren't very good
at anything."

This one belonged to the Bobcats.

The up-and-down Bobcats have now beaten Cleveland, Orlando and
the Lakers this season and are jostling for playoff position in
the Eastern Conference. Yet they've lost twice to a New Jersey
team that's challenging for the worst record in NBA history.

All after starting 3-7 without Jackson this season, seemingly
headed for another year in the conference's cellar. Then the
Golden State Warriors granted the disgruntled swingman's wish,
sending him to Charlotte in a four-player deal.

"If he is not an All-Star in this league, I don't know who is,"
Charlotte's Theo Ratliff said. "It is time people recognize what
he does on the floor."

This Bobcats' win wouldn't come without bumps.

They had a shot-clock violation, an inbounds-pass violation and
several passes that went awry in the opening half. Couple that
with some spotty defense in the paint, and Howard had the Magic
ahead by six points early.

Charlotte came back and went ahead by five before the half after
Howard got in foul trouble. The Bobcats cleaned up some of those
mistakes and held on to a slim lead heading into the fourth
quarter.

Jason Williams' 3-pointer brought the Magic within 72-71 to
start the final period. That did little to rattle Charlotte or
ignite an Orlando team that was sluggish a night after winning
in Washington.

The Bobcats battled with Howard inside, frustrating the Magic
center. He was called for an offensive foul for extending his
arm into Tyson Chandler. And after throwing the ball to the
corner and arguing with officials, Howard was whistled for his
14th technical foul of the season.

That was all part of a 12-3 run for the Bobcats that pushed them
ahead 84-74 about halfway through the fourth. The Magic trimmed
the lead to 84-81 on a 3-pointer by Pietrus with 4:13 remaining,
but Charlotte's relentless defensive pressure kept it in front
for good.

"It definitely shows the growth of this team and shows how guys
are committed to getting to the playoffs," Jackson said. "I am
very glad to be a part of this."

NOTES: Charlotte has won six straight three times in its
history, including earlier this season ... Orlando would have
tied a franchise record with nine straight wins, done in 1994
and 2001. ... Yankees ace CC Sabathia still managed to arrive
for the second half after pitching four innings and giving up
five runs in a 10-5 loss to the Pirates in Bradenton earlier
Sunday.