The Magic start the game up 13-0, and they finish on a 15-1 run. Jameer Nelson hits two big shots down the stretch, and Orlando emerges with a Christmas Day victory over the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics.
Nelson finishes with 12 points after a slow start; Dwight Howard scores only six but dominates defensively with 11 rebounds and five blocks. Brandon Bass, of all people, puts up 21 and nine to lead the Magic in their second-half comeback effort.
The C's get 22 points from Kevin Garnett, 18 from Paul Pierce and 16 from Glen Davis, but the rest of the Celtics are no-shows in the biggest game of the season to date. The 14-game winning streak screeches to a halt on Christmas Day.
The C's have two days off before hitting the road for a back-to-back at Indiana and Detroit.
Fourth quarter, 24.5 seconds, Magic 84-78: Jameer Nelson just hit two free throws to put the Magic up six.
That should just about do it.
Fourth quarter, 43.3 seconds, Magic 82-78: J.J. Redick just hit a beautiful jumper over the outstretched arms of Ray Allen. We're now looking at a two-possession ballgame.
Another Boston timeout. The C's need a quick bucket.
Fourth quarter, 1:19, Magic 80-77: Make that a 9-0 Orlando run. Jameer Nelson just hit the shot of the game, a deadly 3 from the top of the key. He's hit back-to-back treys, and the Magic have their first lead since well before halftime.
Timeout called by Doc Rivers. He's got to talk some sense into his players.
Fourth quarter, 1:56, 77-77: Tie ballgame.
The Celtics look frazzled and rushed. They haven't taken a good composed shot in ages. They absolutely must settle down before they let this get out of hand.
The Magic are on a 6-0 run, including a 3 (finally) from Jameer Nelson. He's now 1-for-5 from long range.
Fourth quarter, 2:51, Celtics 77-72: Dwight Howard just swatted Paul Pierce's layup attempt from Florida to Arkansas. He's now got five blocks.
The Celtics, when healthy, have a guy in Rajon Rondo who can take over a game without scoring. Right now Howard is playing that role for the Magic.
The C's haven't had any kind of rhythm in this second half, but they're still in position to hold off the Magic and win this thing. Under three minutes to go.
Fourth quarter, 3:22, Celtics 77-71: Kevin Garnett hits another wide-open mid-range jumper. He's now got 21. He's killing the Magic.
Bass needs to get out and contest that shot. Howard's going to set up shop in the lane, to deter the C's from driving, but it's up to Bass to get out and contest jump shots.
Fourth quarter, 4:33, Celtics 73-69: Brandon Bass won't go away — the Orlando power forward now has 19 points. The Celtics have disrespected him all day, because he's Brandon Bass. He's the last guy you'd expect to light you up.
You can't take anything for granted against this Magic team. They just have too many weapons.
Fourth quarter, 5:52, Celtics 71-65: This one's getting chippy. Dwight Howard is taking over the game with his dominance inside — he's now got four blocks. The Celtics are frantically searching for some perimeter offense, and they're not getting it.
They've got to relax, slow down, return to ball movement and get good shots. Their pacing looks all wrong.
They've still got a six-point advantage, but when is a single-digit lead ever safe against a team with this many shooters? The Celtics still have a long way to go.
Fourth quarter, 7:40, Celtics 71-62: Another nice mid-range jumper from Glen Davis. Big Baby may only be 4-for-10 from the field, but he's getting open looks and he's also getting to the free-throw line, where he's a perfect 8-for-8. He's had a big game on the offensive end of the floor.
Fourth quarter, 9:20, Celtics 67-62: Shaquille O'Neal has fouled out with over nine minutes still to play. He just shoved Dwight Howard to the ground, hard, away from the ball. Stupid, pointless foul on Shaq, and his night is done.
Doc Rivers was giving Big Baby plenty of minutes before, by choice. Now it'll be by necessity.
Fourth quarter, 9:48, Celtics 65-62: J.J. Redick is feeling it too.
When the Magic have all their weapons firing, they're a force to be reckoned with.
Fourth quarter, 10:35, Celtics 63-59: Dwight Howard might be starting to turn it on. He just blocked a shot on one end and got his first basket of the ballgame on the other.
If Howard steps up and has a big fourth quarter, the Celtics could be in real trouble.
End of third quarter, Celtics 63-57: The Celtics and Magic combine for one field goal in the final 3:57 of the third quarter. This game has been played to a complete standstill, and the Celtics are fine with that as they lead by six.
Both starting centers are still without a single field goal in this game. Dwight Howard is 0-for-3; Shaquille O'Neal is 0-for-2.
Paul Pierce leads the Celtics with 18 points and eight rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu has 16 for the Magic.
The C's are 12 minutes away from consecutive win No. 15.
Third quarter, 2:55, Celtics 61-52: The Magic have blown back-to-back possessions by missing 26-fo ot jump shots early in the shot clock. If they want to have any chance of a comeback, some better shot selection might help.
Stan Van Gundy has only used three guys off of his bench, and two of them — Gilbert Arenas and J.J. Redick — are having a pretty weak shooting day so far. He's got to get something out of someone on the perimeter. The Magic's shooters have been MIA.
Third quarter, 4:12, Celtics 59-49: The C's have stretched their lead back to double digits with back-to-back 3s from Nate Robinson and Ray Allen. Their two starting guards are shooting a combined 5-for-21 in this game, but they just hit two big shots to swing the momentum, so give credit where it's due.
Both teams are chucking up a lot of 3s and making exactly one third of them. The Celtics are 4-for-12; the Magic are 7-for-21. Neither coach is likely very happy with those numbers.
Third quarter, 5:43, Celtics 53-47: Hedo Turkoglu lays out Kevin Garnett with a hard foul, but somehow it's the Magic who end up shooting technical free throws.
Doc Rivers is steaming mad — he ventured onto the floor to check on KG after the Turkoglu foul, and he ends up getting T'd up.
Brandon Bass pulls the Magic to within five on the technical free throw, but KG hits one of two to put Boston back up 53-47.
Doc's got to make sure the Celtics stay composed. Orlando is ready to make a run.
Third quarter, 6:11, Celtics 52-46: Too much confidence can be a bad thing for Nate Robinson. The Celtics' guard finally makes his first field goal after starting 0-for-8, so of course he has to rush into another shot on the following possession.
Nate's now 1-for-10, and the rest of the Celtics haven't looked much better of late. Their offensive efficiency has gone out the window.
Third quarter, 9:24, Celtics 48-38: The Magic have strung together four straight stops early in this third quarter — the C's are firing jumpers and missing.
The window is open for the Magic to make a comeback, but they need to get something offensively out of their two leaders, Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson. Those two guys are a combined 1-for-8.
Halftime, Celtics 46-36: All the Celtics wanted for Christmas was a win over the Magic in this holiday grudge match. With one half in the books, that wish appears to be in good shape.
The C's have absolutely walloped the Magic for the last six minutes of the first half, going on a 17-4 run to close things out. Hard to believe they were down 13-0 to start this game — they've ripped off a 46-23 streak since.
Paul Pierce has 16 points and Kevin Garnett has 10. Who needs Santa Claus? These two guys are all the holiday magic Boston needs.
Hedo Turkoglu and Brandon Bass have eight points each for Orlando.
Second quarter, 1:57, Celtics 40-32: The Celtics are now on an 11-0 run, their second double-digit scoring streak of the game.
The Magic's energy is there, but they just look jumpy and unfocused. They've got to play composed and play smart to beat this Celtics team.
Second quarter, 2:37, Celtics 36-32: The Celtics have gotten a 7-0 run out of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, and they're back in front.
You might see a lot of streaky games from the Magic this season. With all these athletic shooters on the floor, they're going to run and gun a lot, and sometimes they'll hit slumps. You're seeing another one now, and the Celtics are taking advantage.
Second quarter, 5:04, 32-32: Glen Davis' energy has kept the Celtics competitive in this game, but it's Paul Pierce's dagger 3 from the top of the key that ties things up on the scoreboard. The Truth now has 14, and it's 32-32.
Meanwhile Big Baby has two rebounds and two steals. His hustle on both ends has changed the shape of this game. He even ran a fast break a minute ago! Baby's loaded with holiday cheer. We're seeing all kinds of newfound heart from him on Christmas Day.
Second quarter, 7:18, Magic 29-26: Take note — Avery Bradley comes out, Nate Robinson comes in, and Gilbert Arenas immediately makes it rain. (With jump shots, not firearms.)
Arenas quickly pours in five points to push the Magic back into the lead.
This new-look Magic team is just loaded with guys who can beat you. Arenas might be the most dangerous of them all. (Again, not because of the firearms.)
Second quarter, 9:47, Celtics 22-21: Jermaine O'Neal heads back to the bench. He's given the Celtics a solid five minutes — his shot has predictably looked rusty (he's 1-for-4), but he's worked hard defensively and been surprisingly active.
The C's have a slim lead in the second quarter. They've gotten good contributions from starters and reserves alike. J.O.'s return appears to have galvanized this bench — the second unit looks great so far.
Second quarter, 10:35, Celtics 22-19: No one works harder as an individual defender than Avery Bradley — but Bradley's about to get his toughest cover yet. We'll see how long Doc Rivers trusts him to contain Gilbert Arenas.
Rivers has been slow to thrust Bradley into an extended role this season. But if he can contain the athletic, high-scoring Arenas, he'll go a long way toward proving himself as a rookie on this veteran team.
End of first quarter, Celtics 20-19: Paul Pierce just submitted a first-quarter performance for the ages, and the Celtics have the lead at the end of one. The captain has 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal, and his 3 at the close of the first quarter has made the difference so far.
The C's started this game 13-0. They're now on a 20-6 run.
Hedo Turkoglu has eight points to lead the Magic, and Dwight Howard is scoreless but he's been a big-time shot deterrent in the low post, changing the complexion of this game with his presence alone.
We can only hope the next 36 minutes of this ballgame are as entertaining as the first 12.
First quarter, 2:44, Magic 13-12: Wow. The Magic scored the first 13 points of this game, but in a moment, Paul Pierce will be at the line with a chance to tie the ballgame. We could see back-to-back 13-0 runs to open this game.
The Celtics came out uptight and overhyped to open this game, but they've since loosened up and they're playing their game. Relentless, airtight defense on one end; sublime shot selection on the other. This is Celtic basketball.
Paul Pierce has seven points and three boards early. He's been a big catalyst for this comeback.
First quarter, 5:21, Magic 13-4: Slowly but surely, the Celtics are beginning to chip away — Orlando is now scoreless in its last 2:16, settling for jumpers and missing on the last few possessions.
The C's still have a "swing for the fences" look about them, looking for the big shot at all times. They've got to settle down, establish their ball movement and let the game come to them. There's still plenty of time to go.
First quarter, 7:39, Magic 13-0: Early on in games, the Celtics' game plan has been to pound the ball inside, getting a huge first six minutes from Shaquille O'Neal. That doesn't work so well when the guy matched up with Shaq is Dwight Howard.
Howard has a block, a steal and a rebound early. He's rendering Shaq useless, which pretty much throws a wrench in the Celtics' first-quarter game plan.
Someone else has to step up and hit some shots for the C's. This could be Ray Allen's time to shine.
First quarter, 9:38, Magic 11-0: Uh oh. This could be the Christmas Massacre.
Hedo Turkoglu is raining jumpers on the Celtics with no remorse. He's hit a mid-range floater and a pair of deep 3s, and the Celtics have still yet to establish any rhythm offensively. They're down 11-0.
This is without question the C's worst start this season. And if they get rattled and press too hard to come back, it'll only become worse.
First quarter, 11:33, Magic 3-0: The Celtics start shaky — first Shaquille O'Neal gets whistled for an illegal defense call and the Magic get a quick free throw, and then they give Jason Richardson a layup on the following possession.
Orlando is celebrating Christmas in its own building, and the festivities are underway with a bang.
2:15 p.m.: The Celtics will get the best gift of all this Christmas: the return of a healthy Jermaine O'Neal.
J.O. has been out the last six weeks with a knee injury, and his potential comeback Wednesday night was derailed by a bout with the the flu. But he's back now, and he's on the floor warming up with the C's as they prepare to take on the Magic.
Doc Rivers couldn't ask for a better day to get him back. Against Dwight Howard and the Magic, he's going to need all the frontcourt depth he can get.
8 a.m.: Lakers coach Phil Jackson had some unkind words to say this week about playing on Christmas Day. But meanwhile, on the other coast, the Celtics were taking the high road.
"I always felt like it was a privilege," Ray Allen said. "You come into the league and you see the teams playing on Christmas, it’s always the upper-echelon teams in the league. You feel like you made it. People at home are watching, and you want to be one of those teams playing."
The C's will put their 14-game winning streak on the line Saturday against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. These two teams went to six games last spring in the Eastern Conference finals, and after seven months, we finally get a rematch. That's a Christmas gift any basketball fan can love.
