Magic at Celtics
After ending a losing streak on the road, the Boston Celtics will try to build a winning streak at home when they host the Orlando Magic on Monday. Behind 26 points and eight assists from All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas, the Celtics rolled to a 120-105 victory in Philadelphia on Sunday to snap a season high-tying four-game skid.
The win moved Boston into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind the Miami Heat and a game shy of the Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics have won 10 straight at home against the Magic, the last being a 113-94 triumph on Jan. 29. That came at the end of an eight-game losing streak for Orlando, which has not recovered and carries a three-game slide into this one. It held a six-point lead in the fourth quarter Sunday in Toronto before faltering down the stretch in a 105-100 setback, falling to 11-23 on the road.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), CSN New England (Boston)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (29-40): Orlando entered Sunday ranked 27th in the league in made free-throw differential (minus-2.5) and it was an alarming separation against the Raptors, who hit 17 more foul shots than the Magic. Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier scored 21 apiece but the rest of the Orlando starters combined for just 19 as the squad dropped the first of five straight on the road. Fournier had 24 points in just 23 minutes in the previous meeting with the Celtics, a 119-114 victory in Orlando.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (40-30): Boston has missed Jonas Jerebko in the last two games as he recovers from an Achilles issue, but he reportedly will be back for this one and looking to follow up a 17-point effort his last time out. Fellow reserve Kelly Olynyk has struggled since his return from a shoulder injury by shooting 5-of-22 from the floor - including 1-of-10 from 3-point distance - over a three-game span. Forward Amir Johnson, who had a recent stretch in which he scored in single digits in 25 of 26 games, is averaging 11.7 over the same three-game stretch and was 9-of-10 from the floor with 18 points versus Philadelphia.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Thomas has reached the 20-point mark in all nine games this month.
2. Magic PF Andrew Nicholson has scored in double figures in consecutive contests for the first time since a three-game run Nov. 29-Dec. 3.
3. The Celtics need one win to better last season's total.