The Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic 109-106, but neither team should be upset at the result. This was truly a playoff preview, with both teams bringing it down the stretch. Boston was just a couple big plays better.
Kevin Garnett Returns From Injury To Lead Celtics To 109-106 Win Over Magic
The first was when Paul Pierce got a three-point play to give the Celtics a three-point lead. Pierce dribbled to his customary spot on the elbow, stepped back, pump faked and got Jason Richardson in the air to draw the foul. The added bonus was that he hit the shot anyway. Then, on the ensuing Orlando possession, Kevin Garnett made this steal on Jameer Nelson after an offensive rebound.
There are maybe three players in the league who could have made that play. Three, at best. That Garnett did it in his first game back from injury tells you a lot about how much he was locked in.
Orlando got a standout performance from Dwight Howard (33 and 13), and a big performance from Ryan Anderson off the bench, but their guards couldn’t shoot straight until down the stretch. Richardson also had a miserable time defensively, as Ray Allen lit him up for 26 points on a ton of open looks. It almost made you wonder whether it would have made more sense to go with J.J. Redick down the stretch.
Orlando Pinstriped Post places the defensive breakdowns on the whole team, not just Richardson, and ponders whether Anderson should replace Brandon Bass in the starting lineup.
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