Magic 103, Celtics 98
Victor Oladipo scored 22 points and Tobias Harris added 21 as Orlando rallied from a 20-point deficit in the first half to defeat visiting Boston.
Rookie Elfrid Payton recorded 19 points, a season-high 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Magic, who finished the game on a 23-14 run. Maurice Harkless scored nine of his season-best 14 points in the fourth quarter while Dewayne Dedmon set career highs with 11 points and 16 rebounds for Orlando, which played without leading scorer Nikola Vucevic (ankle).
Brandon Bass led the way with 19 points and a career-high 17 rebounds while Isaiah Thomas scored 21 and handed nine assists for the Celtics. Marcus Smart finished with 16 points before being ejected for an elbow in the final minute for Boston, which made a season-high 15 from 3-point range.
A rebound basket by Bass put the Celtics in front 84-80 before Harkless drained a 3-pointer and Payton made two free throws with 3:13 left to give the Magic the lead. Harris nailed a 3-pointer, Harkless dunked off a steal and Oladipo scored inside for a 92-84 edge with 1:34 to go and Boston could not recover.
Smart made three 3-pointers to help the Celtics build their lead as high as 20 early in the second quarter before Payton and Harris led a surge that pulled the Magic within 49-43 at intermission. Oladipo scored 11 in the third quarter as Orlando moved in front by as much as five before settling for a 69-69 tie going into the fourth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Magic registered a season-high 56 rebounds while Boston grabbed 48. … Aside from Vucevic, the Magic were also without Gs Willie Green (Achilles), Luke Ridnour (hamstring), Evan Fournier (hip) and Devyn Marble (eye). … Boston G Avery Bradley, the team’s second-leading active scorer, missed his second straight contest with an elbow injury. … Celtics F Luigi Datome had a season-high 10 points – all in the second half.