Better Late than Ever, Magic Beat Celtics with Another Second-Half Surge

For the second consecutive game, the Orlando Magic overcame a double-digit halftime deficit, this time beating the NBA champion Boston Celtics, 108-104. Rookie Tristan da Silva's three-pointer with 9.6 seconds remaining was the clincher.

Orlando Magic guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) and forward Tristan da Silva (23) celebrate after a basket against the Boston Celtics in the third quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. – Tristan da Silva's late three was the perfect ending. The Orlando Magic had just beaten the Boston Celtics at their own game.

The defending NBA champions' winning formula is death by three-pointers. On a typical night, the Celtics attempt and make more threes than any other team in the NBA. Before Monday night, Boston had made at least 10 threes in 52 consecutive games and in 126 of its past 128.

But Orlando's defense has superpowers, such as finding ways to limit an opponent's best weapon. So when the Celtics attempted a season-low 32 threes and made only eight — another season-low — the Magic jarred open a window for a 108-104 victory.

For the second consecutive game, Orlando overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half. After completing a 22-point fourth-quarter comeback Saturday versus Miami, Orlando erased a 15-point halftime deficit by the end of the third quarter Monday to tie the score at 79.

From there, the best fourth-quarter team in the league outscored Boston 29-25, matching the defending champions bucket for bucket and sometimes toe to toe.

Goga Bitadze was a spectator for the final 3 minutes 36 seconds — ejected by officials for interceding in a shoving match on Jalen Suggs' behalf and putting hands on Boston big Kristaps Porzingis.

"They're a good team. You can't let them get going," Bitadze said postgame. "You have to be physical with them. We gotta make [it] a dogfight, and that's us. We're dogs. As soon as they step into that game, that's where we want them. We got them there, and we walked them down. Without so many guys, we never stopped believing."

da Silva, the No. 18 overall draft pick last summer, led the Magic with 18 points — that last triple serving as both the exclamation points of the night and the biggest shot of his career.

Another look at the biggest shot of #Magic rookie Tristan da Silva’s career that put Orlando up four late: pic.twitter.com/A2qFhlzEWs

— Mason Williams (@mvsonwilliams) December 24, 2024

"I felt like I was wide open, so I just let it rip," da Silva said.

"He deserved this moment almost more than anybody," Suggs said.

"He deserves this moment."

wholesome @jalensuggs content https://t.co/At14mvuJsK pic.twitter.com/G7N6dCWcDO

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 24, 2024

Trevelin Queen, the 27-year-old basketball vagabond, made his first career start and scored 17 points — tying a career high — to go with three steals. His third and final assist set up da Silva's clinching triple.

Queen said that he "couldn't stop smiling" before the game when he learned that he was starting. Sitting at the postgame dais, he had the chance to reflect on the evening that was.

"I think I believed in myself that I belonged when the opportunity came," Queen said, "but it was just a belief in myself and my teammates talking to me, giving me all the confidence that I needed."

Queen and da Silva's performances were two of several pleasant surprises. The Magic, the NBA's worst three-point shooting team by percentage, made five more threes than Boston. The Celtics, the NBA's most careful team with the basketball, committed 19 turnovers. Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White had five turnovers each. Brown accounted for 35 points after Jayson Tatum was a late scratch due to illness.

The Magic's win improved their record to 19-12.

After da Silva's shot, Suggs waved goodbye to the noticeably large portion of Celtics fans in attendance. The Magic protected home court for the 12th time in 14 tries — perhaps the biggest win of their season.

"I don't think we can head into Christmas any better than that," Suggs said.

Up Next

The Magic welcome the Miami Heat back to Kia Center on Thursday, Dec. 26. Tipoff is 7 p.m. ET at the Kia Center for the third matchup this year between the Florida rivals.

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