Beede’s Breakdown: Magic fall to Celtics, play at 76ers in NBA Play-In
BOSTON — For the second time in the last three years, the Magic had to wait until the final day of the NBA regular season to find out where they’d be headed for the postseason. Needing a win in Boston to secure at least homecourt advantage in the Play-In Tournament as the No. 7 seed in the East, Orlando dropped the ball and fell 113-108 at TD Garden on Sunday night.
The result means the Magic drop to eight in the Eastern Conference and will travel to Philadelphia for the Play-In Tournament. Trailing the Celtics by 13 points entering the fourth quarter, the Magic tied the game at 108-108 with 35. 5 seconds left when Jalen Suggs sunk his seventh 3-pointer of the night.
Luka Garza responded with a triple of his own to put Boston back in front by three with 31. 6 seconds left in the game. Garza’s 3-pointer ended up as the go-ahead shot when free throws from Jordan Walsh with 7.
9 seconds remaining put Boston ahead by five points. With the No. 2 seed already locked up, the Celtics (56-26) only made eight players available.
Boston regulars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, Hugo Gonzalez and former Magic center Nikola Vucevic all sat out due to various minor injuries. Instead, it was Baylor Scheierman (30 points), Ron Harper Jr. (27) and Garza (27) who combined for 84 points in the five-point win.