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Celtics 116, Magic 83: It was an ugly weekend for the Orlando Magic

A rough shooting night led to a second straight blowout

Boston Celtics v Orlando Magic Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images

It was a rough weekend for the Orlando Magic.

One night after getting routed on their home court by the Memphis Grizzlies in a loss that Cole Anthony called “embarrassing,” the Magic had a dismal shooting night during a 116-83 loss to the Celtics.

The Magic missed their first six shots and went without a point over the opening four minutes until Jalen Suggs hit a runner plus the foul. Orlando’s offensive struggles continued throughout the first as the team shot just 23.8 percent in the quarter, going 0-for-4 from three while also committing four turnovers. They trailed just 21-15 heading into the second thanks in large part to the Celtics shooting even worse from three in the first. The Celtics made just one of their 13 first-quarter attempts from long range.

The Magic hit their first three early in the second on a make by Chuma Okeke to cut the Celtics’ lead to 25-20. Jalen Suggs then helped create some high-percentage shots by aggressively attacking the basket for back-to-back drives that pulled the Magic within four. The threes started falling for the Celtics as Jayson Tatum connected and Dennis Schroder followed with a pair to put the Celtics in front 37-28. The Magic answered with a 6-0 run, highlighted by Mo Bamba swatting away a layup attempt by Jaylen Brown and then hustling down court, calling for the ball in transition and getting rewarded with the alley-oop.

The Magic were limited to two field goals over the final five minutes of the half as the Celtics pushed their lead back to double figures on a three by Williams. Boston took a 49-39 lead into the break.

The Magic went just 1-for-12 from three in the half, shooting 31.7 percent overall. The Celtics improved from distance in the second, making 5 of 11 attempts.

There was an early Orlando timeout in the second half after easy layups by Tatum and Brown. Minutes later, there was this...

Brown’s posterization of Bamba plus the foul pushed the Celtics lead to 13. And it only continued to grow from there, even with the Celtics still struggling mightily from three, going 1-for-11 in the third. The Magic’s shooting woes also continued, all while turning the ball over six times in the quarter. That helped Boston take a 78-61 into the fourth quarter.

The lead steadily grew, surpassing 30 after an 8-0 Boston run that made it 109-78 with 3:15 remaining.

Brown had 26 points and Schroder added 22 to lead the Celtics, who shot 45.5 percent from the field, including just 13-for-46 from three (28.3 percent). Tatum struggled from the field with a 6-for-18 performance but finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

The Magic shot just 35.8 percent from the field and 19.2 percent from three (5-for-26).

Suggs led the Magic with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists, but committed six of Orlando’s 17 turnovers. Wendell Carter Jr. was the only other member of the Magic in double figures, finishing with 14 points and eight rebounds.

The Magic now start a four-game road trip out West, beginning in Portland on Tuesday.