Hedo It At The Buzzer Magic Take out Celtics 96-93

Boston Celtics fans will look at the box score of this game and neatly summarize it as “no Big Ticket no win.” But that would be taking too much credit away from the Orlando Magic who beat Boston in a thriller Sunday afternoon in a game that came down to the wire 96-93. Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu hit the winning basket, a trey at the buzzer becoming the only team in this season to tally 2 wins against the Celtics this season. Orlando handed Boston their first loss of the campaign back on November 18, as they won 104-102. Boston did win the rematch as the two teams played again on December 23, as the Celtics blew out Orlando 103-91.

The month of January has not been particularly kind to the Green team, as they have acquired 5-8 losses this season this month. Boston barely beat out a terrible Minnesota Timberwolves team Friday night, against a quality opponent and with Garnett not in the lineup they could not get over the hump. The “Big Ticket” missed his first game in a Celtics uniform as he suffered an abdominal strain, he is listed as day to day. Any one who thought that the Celtics could keep up the torrid pace they had set in the first two months of the season, was looking at the world through emerald colored glasses. But the team has looked sluggish over the last couple of weeks, even though they still the Association’s best record, they are no longer the team that ran roughshod through the NBA in November and December.

Boston actually was ahead of Orlando through much of the first half of the game, they had a 23-19 lead at the end of the first quarter, and still led 46-43 at the half. But it was as if Boston had spent all it’s energy in the first half during the third quarter as the Celtics at time looked lost on the floor, as they scored only 19 points in the period, and the Magic jumped out to a 75-55 advantage going into the final quarter. Boston came back strong during the fourth quarter to tie the game at 93-93, but Turkoglu won it at the buzzer with an awkward looking trey.

Turkoglu shot 8-18 from the floor, 3-7 from outside the arc, 8-9 from the line for his game high 27 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block. Dwight Howard recorded yet another double-double 18 points, a game high 16 boards, 5 blocks, 1 assist, 1 steal, Rashad Lewis scoredÂ 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block. Maurice Evans scored 11 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal.

Paul Pierce led the Celtics shooting 9-18 from the floor, 6-6 from the line for a team high 24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block. Ray Allen scored 17 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 rebound, James Posey scored 16 points off the 6 boards, 1 steal, Rajon Rondo scored 15 points, 6 steals, 5 assists, 5 rebounds. Boston is now 34-8, Orlando is 28-18.