Orlando lost 108-97 to Boston, falling to 0-3 at home and to 10th in the East at 2-4. The Magic twice cut into a 15-point deficit, but Boston finished the game on an 11-4 run.
Boston took the fourth after Orlando had pulled within four.
A 9-0 Celtics run early in the third made it 64-50. The Magic answered with a 12-0 run, led by Tristan da Silva threes, and it was 69-66. Another 8-0 burst cut the gap to 97-93 with 3:59 left. Boston then outscored Orlando 11-4 the rest of the way. Orlando Magic Daily noted the Celtics were 8 for 35 from three through three quarters and 4 for 9 in the fourth. Paul George scored 10 of Boston's 31 in that quarter. The same outlet counted 13 Orlando turnovers by the early third, and that is where the extra possessions came from.
Da Silva earned the top grade and Franz Wagner's shooting cost him one.
Da Silva gets an A: 23 points and 10 rebounds on 9-14 shooting, 5-8 from three, plus a putback with a minute left. Anthony Black gets a B-plus for 23 points, 8 rebounds and 10-11 at the line, held back by four turnovers and a team-worst minus-11. Wagner gets a C-plus. His 12 assists were real, but he shot 5-20 and the Magic never found a rhythm when he drove. Nobody finished positive, and da Silva's minus-1 was the best mark on the roster. Desmond Bane scored 19 and was minus-10. Jase Richardson shot 2-8 in 26 minutes and was minus-8.
Boston's stars finished the game and Orlando's closers could not match them.
Jayson Tatum scored 32, with 15 of 17 at the line. Orlando Magic Daily pointed to two fouls on him that produced three-shot possessions. George added 17, and Derrick White was plus-18 in 34 minutes. Orlando closed with Black, Bane, Wagner, da Silva and Wendell Carter Jr. Carter had 10 rebounds but scored 7 on 2-6 shooting. His lost ball with 31 seconds left ended any late hope.
The standings leave Orlando no cushion against Washington on Monday.
The Magic are 2-4 and 10th, level with the 11th seed and one game behind sixth. The Wizards are 3-3, with Trae Young at 10.2 assists and Anthony Davis at 22.3 points a game. Alex Sarr is day-to-day. By our count, Orlando is missing 91 minutes of its usual rotation. Paolo Banchero has an estimated return of Nov. 22, and Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac Nov. 10. This roster has played well enough for stretches, but it has not yet finished a home game.
Why did the Magic lose to the Celtics?
Boston outscored Orlando 31-23 in the fourth quarter and finished on an 11-4 run after the Magic had cut the gap to 97-93. Turnovers and Wagner's 5-20 shooting hurt Orlando.
Where do the Magic stand in the East after the loss?
They are 10th at 2-4, one game behind sixth place. They host the 3-3 Wizards next.
