Orlando Magic Get Beat Down by Boston Celtics
It was a tough night for the Orlando Magic (11-5). Nothing seemed to go right for the road team as they fell to the Boston Celtics (7-9) 87-56.
After a good win against the Los Angeles Lakers and having won six of their last seven, the Magic were confident as they went into the TD Garden in Boston. After a 6-0 start for Boston, the Magic came back to take an 8-6 lead. The largest lead for the rest of the first quarter would be four by the Celtics and they would end the first twelve minutes up 22-20.
The second quarter was much like the first with the largest lead being six by the Celtics until, with 2:44 remaining in the half, Boston ended the quarter on a 12-3 run. Outscoring the Magic 24-16, the Magic went into the half trailing 46-36.
Boston took control of the game in the third quarter outscoring the Magic 23-10 and ending the quarter with a 23 point lead. Things almost got out of hand about five minutes into the third when after a foul on Jermaine O’Neal, he attacked Dwight Howard. Though Howard walked away looking to defuse the situation, both O’Neal and Howard were issued technical fouls. It was Howard’s fourth technical foul of the season.
The fourth quarter was just a formality as the game was already well in hand for the Celtics. Still, they outscored the Magic 18-10 to make the final score 87-56.
The major story coming into the game was that Dwight Howard needing just 26 points to pass Nick Anderson and become the all-time leading scorer in Magic history. He was unable to do so however ending the game with just 18 points though with 14 rebounds, he did record another double-double.
Another storyline was the return of Glen Davis to Boston for the first time since being traded for Brandon Bass just before the season started. The crew at TD Garden made a moving tribute video for Davis which played on the scoreboard during a timeout in the first quarter. Davis ended the game with 6 points and 11 rebounds.
The Magic were dismal shooting and handling the ball throughout the game. They shot just 24.6% while committing 25 turnovers. Howard was the only Magic player in double-digits Monday night as Hedo Turkoglu was next on the scoring list with 7 points on his return to the lineup.
The Celtics may have been shorthanded playing without starters Rajan Rondo and Ray Allen but they caught the Magic playing their worst game of the year.
Up Next: The Magic will look to bounce back as they continue their road trip Tuesday night when they head to Indianapolis to face the Indiana Pacers (11-4) who sit a half game now in front of Orlando in the eastern conference.
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