The Celtics put up a valiant effort Sunday afternoon against the Magic.
The problem was they weren't playing with all of their weapons.
Kevin Garnett refused to come out of the locker room after coach Doc Rivers made a game-time decision to rest him rather than play in the game. Early on, Leon Powe and Paul Pierce dominated the game.
While guarding Dwight Howard, Powe forced Howard to throw up difficult shots. As a result, Howard went 0-3 while being guarded by Powe. Pierce went on a tear in the first half, scoring 11 straight Celtic points and at the end of the first half had 19 points.
The Magic responded to Pierce's heroics with a 31-16 run in the 3rd quarter, fueled by underrated role player Brian Cook's 3 pointers. The run began at 11:05 and ended at the end of the quarter. Even after the run, the Celtics were only down by 10 going into the 4th (75-65 Orlando).
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Ray Allen's 3 with 9:22 remaining cut the deficit to 78-73. The next time the Celtics got the ball, Paul Pierce was fouled on attempt and converted on the FT to make it 78-76 (Orlando Leading).
Leon Powe took a charge and in the insuing Celtic possession Ray Allen got free and fired a 3 pointer from the corner to give the Celtics their first lead since the 1st Half, 79-78. On the next Magic possession, Rashard Lewis hit two free throws to put the Magic back on top 81-80. The teams battled back and forth and with Lewis looked to have put the nail in the coffin with a 3 pointer 89-81 with 1:49 remaining.
But the Celtics came right back and scored 7 points in 1:26 to make it 91-86. Rajon Rondo then faked Dwight Howard and made a tough scoop layup to make it 91-88. On the next Magic possesion, Rondo stole a Carlos Arroyo pass for his game high 6th steal and took it up the floor. Rondo threw a pass to Pierce who found Allen in the corner for the game-tying 3 pointer with 14.1 left in the 4th quarter.
On the game's final possession, Most Improved Player of the Year Candidate Hedo Turkoglu took the game winning shot from almost 30 feet out.
And won the game for the Orlando Magic, their second win over the mighty Celtics this season.
Dwight Howard had another double-double by halftime, and finshed with 18 points and 16 rebounds, bringing his NBA leading total to 40 on the season.
Turkoglu led all Magic scorers with 27 points. Paul Pierce led all Celtic scorers with 24 points.
The Magic join only the Wizards as the only two teams in the Eastern Conference to have beaten the Celtics twice this year.
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10 months ago
Great finish, but it really shouldn't have come to that. Atrocious execution down the stretch by the Magic. Arroyo throwing the ball into Rondo's hands, then the Magic leaving the guy with the 2nd most 3-pointers in NBA history open for a game tying trey from the corner, then with 14 seconds to win it get a contested fall away 3-point prayer. Luckily, it was answered.
10 months ago
I've been watchin Turkoglu all season and it seems like he's turned into a "clutch" player. The Magic want the ball in his hands when it comes down the stretch.
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