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 The Magic used only seven players — a first this season — to
beat the Boston Celtics 93-91 and snap a 10-game losing streak.
Guard Arron Afflalo led the charge with 20 points, a career-high 13
rebounds and six assists in 44 minutes. Guard Jameer Nelson
contributed 16 points and 10 assists in 40 minutes. Both made key
plays in the final minute.
The victory ended the Magic's third double-digit losing streak in
the past two seasons.
"What we were doing (previously) just wasn't working," Afflalo said.
"It was time for a change, or we were going into a free fall. I
could feel nothing but five guys who were on the court, and then two
guys off the bench, really looking for a way to victory. There were
no personal agendas."
The Magic (11-30) showed a much better focus throughout the game,
sticking only with the matchups that were working for them.
Orlando center Glen Davis had 17 points, including nine in the final
seven minutes. Forward Tobias Harris added 18 points, and he hit two
free throws with 10 seconds remaining to give the Magic a two-point
advantage.
The Celtics (14-28) failed to get a shot in the final 10 seconds as
the Magic swarmed them defensively, forcing too many passes before
time expired.
Magic coach Jacque Vaughn explained the tight rotation by citing
matchups he liked. In his two season as Orlando's coach, Vaughn used
only seven players once before, but it the day after a multi-player
trade that left him with a limited roster.
"We were really locked in tonight," Harris said. "It was a must-win
mindset coming in. We just decided we had to have more passion, more
toughness and have more of a will to win."
The Magic hit 29 of 36 free throws, the most they attempted this
season. They made 12 of 15 in the final period. The Celtics
countered by hitting 22 of 24 free throws.
Forward Jeff Green led the Celtics with 22 points, but he passed up
what would have been a tough shot in the final seconds. Celtics
guard Rajon Rondo, in just his second game after returning from knee
surgery, finished with six points, six rebounds and four assists in
21 minutes.
Boston center Kris Humphries had 18 points and 12 rebounds, but he
was no factor in the decisive fourth quarter.
The game was tied nine times in the final 12 minutes, and neither
team led by more than three points.
"We made winning plays at the end of the game," Vaughn said. "We're
getting better as a ballclub. We've had some hiccups, but overall,
we're getting better."
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The Celtics scored 13 consecutive points in the third quarter — eight from Humphries — and turned a nine-point deficit into
a three-point lead, but they failed to hold the margin. The
Magic scored only 13 points in the third quarter, but they still
took a 66-64 lead into the fourth.
The Magic led 53-46 at halftime, riding a 35-point second
quarter and a solid start from Afflalo, who had 10 points and
nine rebounds before intermission. Harris had eight points in
the second quarter, during hich the Magic made 12 of 13 free
throws.
The Celtics led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter
when the Magic missed seven consecutive shots.
Boston got a scare midway through the first quarter when Green
hit the floor awkwardly while trying to guard Afflalo. Green was
writhing in pain and clutching his right knee. Although he was
helped to the sideline and then to the locker room, he returned
midway in the second quarter. Near the end of the period, he
grabbed an alley-oop pass from Rondo and dunked. He was
effective throughout, scoring eight points in the fourth
quarter.
The Celtics lost reserve guard Jerryd Bayless early in the third
quarter with a right big toe strain. He left with four points in
seven minutes.
Boston lost a game by three points or fewer for the fifth time
this season.
"This is not fun for me at all," Celtics coach Brad Stevens
said. "I'd like to see us get better and win some of these, but
we haven't."
NOTES: Boston coach Brad Stevens said Sunday before the game
that he would continue to restrict PG Rajon Rondo to just 20
minutes per game, and no more than five minutes in a quarter.
Sunday was just Rondo's second game this season after recovering
from knee surgery performed almost a year ago. Rondo played
19:25 minutes in his first game back Friday. ... Before the
game, Stevens was raving about Magic rookie SG Victor Oladipo.
Stevens saw him up close when he worked at Butler University and
Oladipo played at Indiana. "His work ethic is off the charts,"
he said. "He's got an extra gear that a lot don't have. When you
talk about guys in the draft, there are guys who are sure
things. To me, he was a sure thing." ... Magic C Nikola Vucevic
missed his seventh consecutive game recovering from his second
concussion within the past year. By beating Boston, the Magic
improved to 1-12 record in games without Vucevic in the lineup.
... The Celtics beat the Magic in each of the teams' previous 10
matchups.
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