For the Magic, the loss puts them at the 8 seed where they will play at 7 seed Philadelphia in the play-in. With a win, Orlando can get revenge in a 7 game series against Boston, but they will have to be prepared for the Celtics usual roster that did not play tonight.
FINAL: Celtics 113-108
Mark Jones signs off his last game with ESPN after a 36-year broadcasting run.
Garza caps off 7 straight points with a go-ahead three, the center finished with the same point total as Harper Jr. (27 pts). Scheierman led the team and game with 30.
Magic down 7 with 3:06 remaining that have high implications. The 6 seed out of reach as the Raptors won, and now with a 76ers win they move up to the 7 seed over the Magic if Orlando loses tonight. 106-99 Celtics late in the 4th quarter.
End of 3rd quarter: Celtics 94-81
A 42-20 quarter by the Celtics propels them to a 13 point lead. Scheierman, Harper Jr., and Garza combine for 75 pts, career highs of 28 and 27 for Scheierman and Harper Jr. Boston shot 9/16 from the three point line in the quarter.
The scoring efforts of Harper Jr. and Scheierman with 24 and 22 points give Boston the lead 77-73 following a Garza (14 pts) putback layup. Celtics on a 16-5 run and the crowd comes to life in TD Garden.
Halftime: Magic 61-52
Although the deficit, three Celtics players (Harper Jr., Scheierman, Garza) have double-digit points, showing promise from Boston’s bench.
On another note, Raptors lead 70-61 at halftime. The Magic need Toronto to lose if they can hold on against Boston.
Suggs (11 pts) third three forces a Boston timeout. Franz Wagner leads the Magic in scoring with 14 pts, picking up from where he left off last game with 25 pts vs the Bulls. Magic 51-43, 3:21 left in the 2nd quarter.
End 1st quarter: Magic 29-20
The birthday boy Harper Jr. with 12 points in TD Garden, but Orlando is spoiling the celebration by ending the quarter on an 11-2 run.
Desmond Bane is one of four players to play all 82 games in the NBA and the first Magic player since Dwight Howard in the 2009-2010 season to start every game, according to ESPN.
Starting lineups for tonight’s game provided by Underdog NBA
Magic: Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.
Celtics: Max Shulga, Baylor Schierman, Ron Harper Jr., Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza
Majority of the Boston Celtics key players are out for tonight’s game, including superstars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. The Celtics have clinched the two seed in the conference.
Spread: ORL -13 Total O/U: 221.5
Odds provided by Fanduel Sportsbook
The visiting Orlando Magic (45-36) are on a five-game winning streak. A sixth win gives them a chance of moving up to the sixth seed and out of the Eastern Conference play-in if it is combined with a Toronto Raptors (45-36) loss.
@austinabbott RBs: guerendo, Bucky, dowdle, braelon, pacheco WRs: evans, Pickens, Ladd (Quentin on my bench just in case) 2 rb 2 wr 1 flex who do I play for today