Despite the distraction of having their best player looking for the exit door, the Magic are winning games. If they continue, wonder pundits, will it have an effect on Dwight Howard's thinking? They beat the Bulls in Chicago on Thursday. They buried the Pacers in Orlando on Sunday.

Then, on the two days before the trade deadline, they will face the Heat (who they've already beaten once) at home and the Spurs on the road. Would a four-game winning streak, all against top teams, be enough to convince Howard that his team is a legitimate championship contender and persuade him to pull his request for a trade? Would it further encourage Magic ownership to keep him?

"It's great to beat them all now," Howard said after getting 30 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and four blocks Sunday. "But we want to beat them when it counts (in the playoffs). It's all about hitting your peak at the right time."

• Will wins persuade Dwight to stay in Orlando? - Stan Povtak - FOX Sports Florida