Jaylen Brown paced four Boston players in double figures with a game-high 28 points and the Celtics ended a three-game losing streak with an 92-79 win over the host Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
Boston opened the third quarter with 16 unanswered points — creating a 21-0 run that spanned the middle periods — as a Robert Williams III basket gave the Celtics a 60-46 advantage.
Wendell Carter Jr. converted the second of two free throws with 5:59 remaining in the third quarter, ending an Orlando scoring drought that lasted nearly 10 minutes. However, the Celtics’ lead ballooned to 69-50 after Dennis Schroder scored consecutive baskets.
Boston outscored the Magic 31-10 in the third period for a 75-56 lead.
Cole Anthony’s layup with 3:43 left in the second quarter gave Orlando a 46-39 lead, but the Magic did not score again as Boston closed within 46-44 at halftime. Brown scored 17 first-half points to help keep the Celtics close.
Boston, which squandered a 14-point lead after three quarters on Monday in a 128-114 loss to the Chicago Bulls, experienced some tense moments down the stretch as Orlando got as close as 84-70 with 3:59 left.
Al Horford had 12 points and 12 rebounds to go along with seven assists for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum scored 14 points on 4-for-16 shooting, while Williams contributed 12 points and six rebounds.
Carter, who scored 10 of his 13 points in the first half, totaled 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Anthony finished with 13 points, R.J. Hampton netted 12 off the bench, Jalen Suggs scored 10 and Franz Wagner added nine.
Anthony and Wagner, who teamed for 59 points to fuel Orlando’s comeback win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, combined to shoot 8-for-28 from the field against Boston.
The Magic, who snapped a four-game skid with their victory over Minnesota, dropped to 0-3 this season at home.
Carter scored seven points and Suggs chipped in five points as Orlando built a 28-26 lead after the first quarter. Carter was the Magic’s leading scorer in the half with 10 points, and the Magic led 46-44 at the break.
–Field Level Media