Orlando is 46-58 all-time vs. Boston in regular season action (34-18 at home, 12-40 on the road), including 2-2 last season. The Magic are 9-8 vs. the Celtics in the playoffs (1-1 at home, 2-0 on the road, 1995 first round series; 2-1 at home, 2-2 on the road, 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals; 1-2 at home, 1-2 on the road, 2010 Eastern Conference Finals). Orlando has split the last ten meetings with Boston, but has lost 15 of the last 20 matchups overall. Orlando has won seven of the last 12 meetings at home, but lost 11 straight in Boston (last win @ Boston: Feb. 7, 2010, 96-89). Orlando defeated Boston in the last game ever played at the Boston Garden, 95-92, on May 5, 1995. GM Rob Hennigan is a native of Worcester, MA and finished his collegiate career as the all-time leading scorer at Emerson College. Head Coach Frank Vogel began his NBA career as head video coordinator with the Celtics in 1997 and also served as an assistant coach with Boston. Jeff Green was originally selected in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft by Boston and played in 222 games with the Celtics from 2011-15.
BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. CELTICS: 44 pts., Tracy McGrady (@ Orlando, 1-16-04)
BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. MAGIC: 46 pts., Larry Bird (@ Orlando, 3-16-90)
Josh Robbins
The Celtics will be missing their leading scorer and leading assister when the Magic host them tonight. Thomas has a groin strain.
"When you have four games in five nights, I can guarantee you the last game we're going to be very tired," swingman Evan Fournier said. "It's a mental game. You can't let the fatigue get in, and you still have to do your job and be focused on the defensive end to give us a chance to win the game."
The Magic should benefit from how Vogel has managed their playing time. Through Monday, the team didn't have a single player who ranked in the NBA's top 30 in minutes. The closest was Fournier, who was 32nd, averaging 33.9 minutes per game. Serge Ibaka was the only other member of Orlando's roster to play more than 30.0 minutes per game. And his average, 30.4, is his lowest since he played 27.2 minutes per game during the 2011-12 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With a one-point deficit at just over five second remaining in the fourth quarter, the Boston Celtics had one chance to come away with a hard-fought road win over Houston. In these situations, teams want the ball in the hands of their best player. On Monday, Horford was Boston’s best player. But in the waning moments of the fourth, Horford whiffed on an uncontested game-winning lay-up.
THIS DATE IN MAGIC HISTORY
December 7, 1990 – Behind team-highs of 33 points and eight rebounds from Otis Smith, Orlando notched its first win vs.
Seattle, 106-100.
