Final: Celtics 118, Magic 103

GAME: No. 20 of 82
WHO: Celtics (16-3) vs. Magic (8-10)
WHEN:  7:30 EST
WHERE:  TD Garden
RADIO: 98.5 the Sports Hub
TV: NBC Sports Boston
BOX SCORE: NBA.COM

Starting Lineups:

Celtics
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Marcus Morris
C: Al Horford

Magic

PG: Elfrid Payton
SG: Evan Fournier
SF: Terrence Ross
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Nikola Vucevic

THIRD QUARTER NOTES 

• Celtics going through the motions on both ends with the starting unit, which is to be expected with a 20+ point lead.


• Irving has been doing the heavy lifting offensively, scoring seven quick points in the first six minutes while toying with a variety of Magic defenders. He's been getting whatever he wants, whenever he wants.


• Forgot to mention this earlier, but I actually don't mind these black statement uniforms by the C's. Far superior to the Parquet Pride gray ones (which isn't saying much).


• Orlando continues to free fall in the standing with this game, dropping their seventh straight overall. They haven't won in Boston since February 2010, dating back 14 regular season games.

• Celtics had their mini-lull at the start of the second quarter but it was much less severe this time around with Jayson Tatum on the floor and Semi Ojeleye/Aron Baynes being much less shy about getting up shots. Those two combined for 11 shots in just 16 minutes of playing time, taking away looks that would usually go to Smart.


• Ojeleye in particular was firing away from 3-point range, getting up four attempts from downtown early.


• Nice bounceback performance from Terry Rozier in his early minutes. He had 13 first half points after going 5-of-26 from the field in his last five games.


• Celtics second unit jumped out a 13-2 run midway through the frame as the defense started to locked down against a Magic bench grouping that lacked reliable scoring options. They stretched the lead to as much as 25 points at one point.


• Celtics scored a whopping 73 points in the first half, a new season-high for them.

• Not a lot of defense played by either team in first few minutes. Both teams shot over 60 percent from the field, with Orlando looking particularly lazy getting around screens to contest shooters.


• Jayson Tatum drilled his first two 3-point shots, bringing up his season average to 50 percent from downtown. Not bad at all for a 19-year-old rookie.


• Interesting wrinkles to the rotation early by Brad Stevens. He brought Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier in together a little early than usual and left them out their with shooters in Jaylen Brown and Al Horford. Worked out nicely as those guys only took quality looks in the frame.


• C's were on fire from the field from 3-point range (5-of-7) and the field (68.2 percent in the opening period), putting up 40 points, their biggest first quarter output of the season.

• The Magic have dropped six consecutive games after starting the season a surprising 8-4 in the Eastern Conference. A tough schedule hasn't helped (all losses to likely playoff teams) but the team is starting to come back to earth on both ends of the floor, despite getting both of their point guards back in recent weeks (D.J. Augustin and Elfrid Payton).


• Marcus Morris will play and start for the Celtics, but he may sit out the team's second half of a back-to-back tomorrow night in Indiana. Brad Stevens said that would be decided after the game.


• Magic coach Frank Vogel raved about C's big man Al Horford before the game: "Probably the most underrated guy in the league, in my opinion, for everything he does," he said. "He plays the 4, he plays the 5, holds the fort down blocking shots. They’re able to switch on defense and his communication on that end of the floor with his hands and obviously when you have the ability to have five 3-pointers out there with what he can do. If you switch and he rolls it down to the post and give space to Kyrie and their wings. To me, he’s probably the most underrated guy in the league."


• The Celtics held their pregame walkthrough in a press conference room at the Garden since the court was not ready until 6 p.m. after the court changeover for the Bruins game.