Anfernee Simons ignited the Celtics within the first half, Luka Garza shifted the momentum late and Jordan Walsh offered the ending touches to steer the Celtics to a 111-107 street win over the Magic on Sunday.
Simons poured in all 25 of his factors earlier than the break, placing on a present in his hometown. Garza contributed 16 factors, 8 rebounds and three assists in 17 minutes and delivered within the clutch. Walsh canned a big-time nook 3 with 13.2 seconds remaining to increase the margin to 5, and Boston held on from there.
The Celtics (5-6), who had misplaced 5 straight video games at Orlando coming in, pieced collectively an incredible fourth quarter to discover a means in a good sport. They used a 13-0 flurry to show a two-point deficit into an 11-point edge early within the fourth and by no means relented, offering an avalanche of hustle performs to outlast the Magic (4-6).
Orlando overwhelmed the Celtics with a gradual dose of physicality early, constructing an 8-0 edge that ballooned to 21-9. The Magic pressured the ball and made life tough for the Celtics’ shooters, contesting almost each look and forcing Boston into ill-advised makes an attempt.
Enter Simons. When he’s at his finest, Simons offers a right away jolt of vitality and modifications the complexion of the sport. That’s precisely what he did Sunday, discovering a rhythm nearly instantly en path to an eventual barrage.
Simons helped the Celtics trim the deficit to 33-30 by 1, regardless of 54.5 % capturing from the Magic. Then he caught fireplace early within the second, erupting for a private 14-2 run in 2 minutes, 11 seconds, to vault the Celtics forward, 44-35, early within the quarter.
Everybody within the constructing knew the ball was going his means, however it didn’t matter, as he hit a sequence of stepbacks in masterful vogue. Simons scored essentially the most factors off the bench within the first half for the Celtics within the play-by-play period (since 1997), eclipsed 6,000 profession factors and have become the Thirteenth-youngest participant to succeed in 1,000 profession 3-pointers within the course of.
Derrick White (21 factors), together with his dad and mom Richard and Colleen in attendance on Richard’s birthday, additionally made his presence felt. Hustle from White, Hugo Gonzalez and Jaylen Brown (27 factors) helped the Celtics head into halftime knotted at 54.
A decent third quarter adopted, as Brown and Paolo Banchero (28 factors, six turnovers) traded blows and Neemias Queta offered loads of hustle. Garza gave the Celtics a 76-75 benefit with a gritty and-one late within the quarter, however Orlando claimed an 80-78 edge heading to the fourth.
Three-pointers from Walsh and Gonzalez put Boston forward early within the fourth, then a White jumper and three consecutive buckets from Garza prolonged the margin to 96-85 with 5:50 remaining.
Queta fouled out with 3:30 remaining. Banchero lower it to 2, then Brown buried a clutch 3 to make it 104-99 Celtics with 1:35 on the clock. Banchero scored 4 fast ones to trim it to 104-103, then White canned a large 3 with 45 seconds remaining.
Jalen Suggs lower it to 107-105 earlier than Walsh hit largest the shot of each the evening his profession so far.
That was simply sufficient, because the Celtics prevailed in thrilling vogue on the street. It was a real crew effort, and it provided a glimpse into what this crew is able to undertaking.
