Orlando Magic Grades: Boston Celtics 117, Orlando Magic 87

The Boston Celtics put the pressure on in the second half as they buried the Orlando Magic after the Magic’s successful road trip.

The Orlando Magic were understandably excited following their landmark 4-1 road trip. The team looked like it had turned some sort of corner to build from and begin making a push for the Playoffs. The team had every sign they could do this.

The NBA has a strange way of humbling teams quickly. There is no opportunity to ride too high or to get too low. Especially when there is still such underlying issues with the team skated over by the momentum and strong play from the road trip.

The schedule, though, knows no mercy. And the Magic got humbled on their home court once again.

The Boston Celtics struggled to make shots in the first half, but turned on the screws defensively in the third quarter, opening up a 12-point lead as the Magic struggled to get off a decent shot or to get free for the shots they made effectively. Orlando was always a step off defensively.

And when the Celtics started to make shots, attack offensively and dig in defensively, the Magic had no answers.

“We just didn’t play the right way,” Bismack Biyombo said. “We didn’t play our game. Our defense was terrible. We didn’t play the way we have been playing. We started holding onto the ball. I don’t think being selfish is the right way to say it, but we didn’t trust the next guy. If you play that way, you are going to lose.”

Orlando got away with that stagnant play in the first half, forcing the team’s way into some shots in the paint and working it to open shots. The Magic made 8 of 10 3-pointers in the first half.

That shooting and the Magic’s defense became a nightmare in the second. The Celtics pressured and hurried the Magic into turnovers and bad shots. Orlando got stuck. And the defense was not there to support.

The Magic shot just 6 for 19 from the paint in the second half and 12 for 45 overall. The team that hit eight 3-pointers in the first half made just 3 of 16 in the second half. Everything was a struggle as the Celtics made life difficult for the Magic.

Orlando could not stop Boston on the other end. The Celtics outscored the Magic 68-37 in the second half, shooting 59.5 percent from the floor and making 5 of 11 3-pointers. Orlando quickly found itself in the hole and could not dig out.