Magic rolls past Celtics
Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 10:23 a.m.
Read more: Local, State, Boston, Orlando, Magic, Celtics, Pro, NBA
The Orlando Magic got the better of the Boston Celtics last night, just as they did during last season's NBA Eastern Conference finals.
(AP) -- Vince Carter scored a game-high 26 points and the Magic made it four straight wins by downing the Celts 83-78 in Boston. Rashard Lewis provided 16 points and 10 boards for the Magic, who led 29-13 after one quarter and scored the game's final five points.
Paul Pierce finished with 21 points in Boston's third loss in four games. Rasheed Wallace grabbed 13 rebounds for the Celtics but shot just 4-for-16, including an 0-for-8 effort from three-point range.
Yesterday's 10-game NBA slate included Cleveland's 105-95 win at Indiana. LeBron James delivered a season-high 40 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
Atlanta made it seven straight wins as Josh Smith hit a followup basket with 0.7 seconds left to give the Hawks a 105-103 win over Houston. Marvin Williams had a season-high 29 points in helping the Hawks improve to a league-best 11-and-2.
Jason Terry scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to help Dallas eke out a 104-102 win against Sacramento. The Mavericks got 52 points from the bench, including 25 of the team's 36 in the final period of the Mavs' fifth straight win.
Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani (bahrn-YAH'-nee) had double-doubles in Toronto's 120-113 victory over Miami. Bosh finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while Bargnani added 24 points and 10 boards.
Rookie Brandon Jennings scored 29 points and the Milwaukee Bucks concluded a 5-and-1 homestand by beating Charlotte 95-88. Hakim Warrick's 16 points helped the Bucks win without injured starters Andrew Bogut (BOH'-guht) and Michael Redd. Bogut will be out two to four weeks with a leg strain and contusion suffered Wednesday.
Reserve forward Rasual (rah-SOOL') Butler scored 27 points and Al Thornton added 18 in the Los Angeles Clippers' 106-99 decision over Denver. The Nuggets wasted Carmelo Anthony's 37 points.
Monta (MAHN'-tay) Ellis scored a season-high 34 points and had eight assists to lead Golden State past Portland 108-94. Anthony Morrow added 23 points to the Warriors' ninth straight home win against the Trail Blazers.
Rudy Gay tied his season high with 33 points and Zach Randolph added 21 as Memphis earned its first road win, knocking off Philadelphia 102-97.
Kevin Durant dropped in 35 points, Russell Westbrook scored 26 and rookie James Harden added a season-high 25 in Oklahoma City's 127-108 pounding of Washington.
(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
