RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Celtics finally have a .500 record.
"What a spectacular night for us," coach Rick Pitino said
after Boston defeated Orlando 103-98 in overtime Friday night.
"The first half was not up to par, but we turned it up when we
needed to."
|  | | Boston's Bryant Stith knocks the ball out of the hands of Orlando's Michael Doleac, as Tracy McGrady watches Friday night. |
Boston rallied from a six-point fourth-quarter deficit to hand
Orlando its fifth consecutive defeat.
"We've come back from 20-point deficits and we were playing at
home, so we stuck together in the fourth quarter and into the
overtime," said Paul Pierce who scored a career-high 41 points to
lead the Celtics.
Antoine Walker overcame the flu to score 24 points and grab 14
rebounds.
"I was concerned about staying on the court, but we needed the
win," said Walker.
Pierce and Walker scored nine of Boston's 14 points in the
overtime period as Boston won for the fourth time in six games.
Tracy McGrady led the Magic with 26 points despite playing with
a swollen hand. John Amaechi and Darrell Armstrong contributed 16
each.
"It was really difficult for him (Tracy McGrady) to hold on to
the ball," said Orlando coach Doc Rivers.
Armstrong's 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds left tied the score at
89-89. Doug Overton missed a layup at the buzzer, sending the game
into overtime.
Monty Williams' jump shot gave the Magic a 82-76 lead with 5:05
left.
Orlando had the ball and a one-point lead with 33.8 seconds left
when Amaechi was called for a foul on an illegal screen.
On the ensuing posession, Pierce made a 3-pointer with 22.3
seconds left to cap a 5-0 Boston run.
"At the end of the game, you let the players decide the game,"
said Rivers. "We were up and it was a horrible call."
Boston made 32 free throws to 14 for the Magic. Orlando turned
the ball over 20 times.
McGrady, who led Orlando with eight points in the third quarter,
made two free throws with 51.8 seconds remaining to send the teams
to the fourth tied at 70.
The Magic trailed 49-46 at halftime despite blocking eight
shots. Bo Outlaw blocked six of those and a season-high seven in
the game.
Game
notes
Walker became the 33rd player in Celtics history to record
1,000 assists when he reached that milestone against Houston
Wednesday. ... Boston has not won a season series against the Magic
since 1994-95. ...Orlando has four players on its roster, three of
them are starters, who were never drafted -- Amaechi, Armstrong,
Outlaw and Troy Hudson. ...Grant Hill was with the team but not in
uniform. He has missed five games due to an injured left ankle.
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NBA Scoreboard
Orlando Clubhouse
Boston Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 76
Atlanta 67
Boston 103
Orlando 98
Cleveland 85
Miami 80
Detroit 118
Vancouver 96
Indiana 99
Washington 87
Charlotte 106
Milwaukee 90
Denver 102
San Antonio 92
Phoenix 80
Golden State 74
Utah 97
New Jersey 85
Seattle 98
LA Clippers 81
LA Lakers 115
Minnesota 108
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