Magic overwhelmed by hot-shooting Celtics in 112-96 loss
The Orlando Magic snapped a nine-game losing streak Friday with some hot 3-point shooting. They were on the receiving end of some 3-point proficiency on Sunday.
Jaylen Brown scored 34 points and made 10 of Boston’s 23 3-pointers as the Celtics downed the Magic 112-96 at TD Garden.
The Magic (14-28) made 21 3-pointers in beating the Brooklyn Nets 121-113 on Friday to end a nine-game losing streak. But Orlando couldn’t duplicate its perimeter performance against Boston. The Magic started strong, making 6-of-11 3s in the first quarter but went 5-of-23 the rest of the game.
The Celtics, on the other hand, had no such struggles. Behind Brown, who was 10-of-18 from the 3-point line, and Jayson Tatum, who was 5-of-8, Boston wound up 23-of-54 from behind the arc. The 23 3-pointers are the most allowed this season by the Magic and were one short of the Celtics’ franchise record. The Rockets made 22 3s on Jan. 8.
Brown’s 10 3s were one short of matching Marcus Smart’s single-game franchise record.
Nikola Vucevic recorded his 29th double-double of the season with 22 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Magic, who fell to 0-2 this season against the Celtics. James Ennis, playing for the first time since Feb. 25, finished with 18 points and Evan Fournier had 16 for Orlando, which wound up shooting 38.1% overall.
Tatum scored 23 points and Kemba Walker had 14 for Boston (21-21), which snapped a three-game losing streak.
The Celtics hit a 3 on five straight possessions to build a 75-54 at the 6:54 mark of the third quarter.
The lead was 89-67 when the Magic made a push with a 16-2 run, capped by a 21-foot jumper by Fournier that made it 91-83 at the 9:27 mark of the fourth quarter.
But the Magic went cold and the Celtics pushed their lead back to double digits.
Orlando had a chance to cut it to 10 but Fournier missed an open 3 from the wing and a long rebound led to an easy dunk by Tatum, giving Boston a 100-85 lead.
The Magic could get no closer than 14 and Steve Clifford went to his bench with 3:53 to play and his team trailing by 17.
The Magic return to Amway Center to face the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday as they begin a three-game homestand. The game tips off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on Fox Sports Florida.
This story first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Roy Parry at rparry@orlandosentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @osroyparry
