Orlando Magic find Boston Celtics too tough

The Boston Celtics vaunted defense grounded the Orlando Magic and made things difficult for them to execute in a fourth straight loss for Orlando.

The Orlando Magic were feeling that desperation as time ticked away. They had to buckle down on defense, but that was not the end problem they were facing.

It was that Boston Celtics defense.

That vaunted group has built a reputation as one of the best defenses in the league. Their guards hound and pressure opponents, poking and prodding them. Their versatility enables pretty much every player to switch on the floor. It becomes a tough cookie to crack.

The Magic were finding it increasingly hard to crack that defense. And with Isaiah Thomas driving hard to the rim at all points of the game, stressing the Magic defense and stretching it thin, the lead for the Celtics grew.

Of course, Orlando fought back. The team’s energy has been increasingly better and more consistent even if the execution is not always there on both ends of the floor. The Magic got it to within four points in the fourth quarter, but then those jaws slammed shut.

In a fourth straight game against an Eastern Conference Playoff team, the Magic showed an ability to compete but not enough plays to take the win. The Celtics brought their All Star in Thomas back into the game and he helped them finish the Magic off for a 107-96 win at TD Garden on Monday.

Victor Oladipo (ORL) — 25 pts., 8 rebs.; Evan Fournier (ORL) — 13 pts.
Isaiah Thomas (BOS) — 28 pts.; Amir Johnson (BOS) — 11 pts., 11 rebs.

Orlando was playing uphill for most of the game thanks to that crushing defense. The Celtics held the Magic to a 97.6 offensive rating in the game. Orlando was not able to get offense consistently. Even in an urgent fourth quarter where the Magic buckled down and got stops, jump starting the offense some with fast breaks, they managed only 18 points — an 18-16 fourth quarter.

Orlando just could not close the gap.

Once again, the Magic were unable to get stops consistently. And when they did in the fourth quarter, Amir Johnson or some other Celtic picked up the offensive rebound. Boston had nine offensive rebounds and 11 second-chance points. But each one seemed to be a killer.

The Magic were not finishing possessions. Or if they were not getting the miss, the Celtics were able to rip the defense apart. Thomas drove in constantly on his way to 28 points and seven assists. The Celtics were able to get the ball inside-out quickly with three point shooting from Kelly Olynyk or Evan Turner. Olynyk his four of his six 3-pointers.

That was the kind of game the Magic were struggling with. They were having difficulties closing out to shooters and were generally not sharp. That is how a team gives up 69 points in the middle two quarters.

And that put the Magic in a hole.

Orlando slowly worked its way back into the game. Victor Oladipo was stellar once again and Andrew Nicholson provided good minutes off the bench again. The Magic found pockets to get into the lane and use the Celtics’ aggressiveness against them.

For the most part though, the Magic were stuck on the perimeter. When they got into the paint, they were forcing shots against contests. There was no easy going for the Magic against the Celtics.

Push came to shove again late. And the Celtics were better at that part of the game. They were better throughout the night forcing the Magic into mid-range jumpers and working the shot clock down to the desperate moments.

In the Magic’s last gasp, Aaron Gordon was driving to the basket and tried a scoop shot that Amir Johnson blocked. The Celtics defense has a way of grounding any team.

They grounded the Magic once again. Another good effort against a top team that was not enough for the Magic.