Celtics at Magic
Things did not go particularly well for the Boston Celtics in their first game after trading Rajon Rondo. The rebuilding Celtics will look for an improved effort out of their three newcomers when they visit the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. Three days after trading Rondo to Dallas, Boston shot 39.8 percent and set a season low for points scored in Sunday's 100-84 setback at Miami.
Brandan Wright was the most effective of the three former Mavericks, scoring six points on 3-of-5 shooting, while the two other new Celtics, Jameer Nelson and Jae Crowder, combined to shoot 1-of-8 for three points. "This is a little bit of an exploratory time for us," Celtics coach Brad Stevens explained to the media. "We don't get the chance to do that during practice. We have to do that during games." The Magic have lost four games in a row, including a disheartening 96-88 defeat to Philadelphia in Sunday's opener of a three-game homestand.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN New England (Boston), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (10-15): With rookie Marcus Smart starting at point guard and Nelson coming off the bench, 7-footer Tyler Zeller got some easy looks at the basket and shot 10-of-15 for 22 points against Miami. Nelson, who spent his first 10 NBA seasons in Orlando before signing with Dallas in the offseason, is not getting caught up in the emotions surrounding his return to Orlando. "It's a bit weird," the former All-Star told reporters. "But I'm here. I keep telling people I'm just going to try to compete at a high level and help win games."
ABOUT THE MAGIC (10-20): The Magic fell to 3-8 at home with
Sunday's loss to the 76ers, who entered with two wins in 25 games this
season. Victor Oladipo started alongside rookie Elfrid Payton in the
backcourt for the first time and produced 23 points on 10-of-16
shooting. Nikola Vucevic collected 19 points and 17 rebounds and has
scored in double figures in every game this season, notching 16
double-doubles along the way.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Prior to the loss to the Heat, the Celtics had won three games in a row, including a 109-92 triumph against the Magic on Dec. 17. Rondo had 13 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds that night in his final game with Boston.
2. Orlando G Evan Fournier is 7-of-12 from 3-point range in the last two games after shooting 8-for-31 from outside the arc in his previous eight outings.
3. The Magic have exceeded 100 points in one of their last 16 games.