The roller-coaster man is on a roll. And that's a good thing -- a really good thing -- for the Orlando Magic.

Troy Hudson, whose play has fluctuated wildly in his two seasons in Orlando, continued his recent climb to consistency, leading the Magic to a 118-109 victory Saturday night against the Golden State Warriors.

Hudson, the backup point guard, scored 26 points in 28 minutes, sparking the Magic to their fourth victory in their past five games.

It's no coincidence that Hudson's individual surge has coincided with that of the Magic.

He had 15 points Dec. 30 in a victory at New York. He had 14 points in Friday night's win at New Jersey. And he just clobbered the Warriors, leading the fourth-quarter, 3-point barrage that sank them.

"Earlier this year, he was a little sketchy. But now when Darrell [Armstrong] struggles, you don't hesitate. You call Troy Hudson," Magic Coach Doc Rivers said. "Maybe he's finally getting more comfortable. Maybe it's me getting more comfortable with him. Maybe it's him understanding better what we need. Maybe it's the stars. Who knows? It's just nice to see."

Although Hudson was not expected to play much of a role this season, Grant Hill's season-ending, left-ankle surgery and the continued health concerns of Armstrong have pushed him to the front.

"He's kind of been up and down for us, but he's on an up now, and let's hope he stays there," Armstrong said. "You can see it now in his confidence. He doesn't hesitate. And we need him."

Hudson led another unusually well-balanced attack for the Magic. For the second consecutive game, the Magic had five players scoring in double figures. They had gone 14 consecutive games without that kind of balance.

Mike Miller had 19 points. Tracy McGrady had 17 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Horace Grant had a season-high 15 points and 11 rebounds. Monty Williams had 11 points. And Armstrong and Pat Garrity had nine each.

"Our bench has been outstanding the last few games," Grant said. "Guys coming off the bench, not hesitating shooting the ball, playing good defense and not skipping a beat. Tonight, things were going good."

The Magic (17-18) hope to climb back to .500 Monday night against Boston. They began a home-heavy stretch of games that they hope will take them into next month on a high note.

"You've got to win at home. That's a must," Miller said. "Winning on the road is a bonus, but home games are a must if you want to be in the playoffs."

The Magic dominated, never trailing after a hot-shooting start. The Warriors (12-21), though, kept it close enough to be interesting. They tied it at 88 on a basket by Bob Sura with 11 minutes, 7 seconds remaining. That's when the 3-point barrage began.

Hudson and Garrity alternated on four consecutive 3-point baskets, getting wide-open shots when the Warriors double-teamed McGrady. It was 100-93 after Garrity hit the fourth, and the Magic never were challenged again.

Armstrong added two more 3-pointers later in the period.

The Warriors were led by Antawn Jamison with 27 points. Danny Fortson had 15 rebounds and five points. Chris Mills had 20 points and seven assists in reserve.

Magic center Patrick Ewing, who started his second consecutive game, left early in the third quarter because of a sore right calf. He had eight points and five rebounds in 15 minutes.