Box Score

 

BOSTON (102)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
W Mccarty           34   3-9   1-2   0-1   2   3    8
A Walker            45  8-18   1-5   1-8   4   2   19
T Battie            28   1-4   1-2   2-7   0   5    3
P Pierce            39  7-21 12-14  2-10   8   4   27
T Delk              25   4-7   0-1   1-4   1   1    9
V Baker             13   2-2   0-0   3-4   0   2    4
S Williams          30   4-8   2-2   0-6   1   0   11
E Williams          26  7-10   6-8   1-3   1   3   21
B Sundov           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
K Brown            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
J Bremer           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
R Wolkowyski       DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 36-79 23-34 10-43  17  20  102
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.456, FT-.676. 3-Point Goals:
7-22, .318 (W Mccarty 1-4, A Walker 2-6, P 
Pierce 1-4, T Delk 1-3, S Williams 1-3, E 
Williams 1-2). Team Rebounds: 12. Blocked 
Shots:4 (T Battie 3, T Delk). Turnovers:10 (P
Pierce 5, T Delk 2, S Williams 2, A Walker). 
Steals: 8 (E Williams 3, S Williams 2, A 
Walker, W Mccarty, T Battie).


ORLANDO (97)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
G Hill              33  8-16   6-7  0-13   5   2   22
P Garrity           42   2-9   4-4   2-4   2   4   10
S Kemp              28  4-13   2-4  8-11   1   1   10
T McGrady           42  9-21   3-4   2-6   4   5   25
M Miller            43  6-14   6-6   1-6   0   4   18
D Armstrong         31   1-6   3-3   1-3   1   3    6
A DeClercq           7   0-2   0-0   2-3   0   3    0
P Burke              7   1-5   0-0   0-1   0   0    2
J Vaughn             7   2-2   0-0   0-0   2   1    4
O Oyedeji          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
J Sasser           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
R Humphrey         DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 33-88 24-28 16-47  15  23   97
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.375, FT-.857. 3-Point Goals:
7-20, .350 (P Garrity 2-5, T McGrady 4-8, M 
Miller 0-1, D Armstrong 1-6). Team Rebounds: 
11. Blocked Shots:1 (T McGrady). Turnovers:12
(D Armstrong 3, G Hill 3, T McGrady 2, M 
Miller 2, S Kemp, P Garrity). Steals: 6 (T 
McGrady 4, D Armstrong, J Vaughn).

--------------------------------------------
BOSTON               25  20  36  21   -  102
ORLANDO              23  25  27  22   -  97
-------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Boston - 1 (A Walker, 5:07 
4th). Orlando - 1 (COACH Rivers, 9:51 3rd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 13,302. T: 2:15. 
Officials: Bernie Fryer, George Toliver, 
James Capers.

Extended Box

 

BOSTON (102) AT ORLANDO (97)

BOSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
W MCCARTY         F    34    3-9      1-2      0   1   1    2   3   1   0    8
A WALKER          F    45    8-18     1-5      1   7   8    4   2   1   1   19
T BATTIE          C    28    1-4      1-2      2   5   7    0   5   1   0    3
P PIERCE          G    39    7-21    12-14     2   8  10    8   4   0   5   27
T DELK            G    25    4-7      0-1      1   3   4    1   1   0   2    9
V BAKER                13    2-2      0-0      3   1   4    0   2   0   0    4
S WILLIAMS             30    4-8      2-2      0   6   6    1   0   2   2   11
E WILLIAMS             26    7-10     6-8      1   2   3    1   3   3   0   21
B SUNDOV              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
K BROWN               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
J BREMER              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
R WOLKOWYSKI          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   36-79    23-34    10  33  43   17  20   8  10  102
                            (.456)  (.676)  TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 10 (9 PTS)     

ORLANDO

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
G HILL            F    33    8-16     6-7      0  13  13    5   2   0   3   22
P GARRITY         F    42    2-9      4-4      2   2   4    2   4   0   1   10
S KEMP            C    28    4-13     2-4      8   3  11    1   1   0   1   10
T MCGRADY         G    42    9-21     3-4      2   4   6    4   5   4   2   25
M MILLER          G    43    6-14     6-6      1   5   6    0   4   0   2   18
D ARMSTRONG            31    1-6      3-3      1   2   3    1   3   1   3    6
A DECLERCQ              7    0-2      0-0      2   1   3    0   3   0   0    0
P BURKE                 7    1-5      0-0      0   1   1    0   0   0   0    2
J VAUGHN                7    2-2      0-0      0   0   0    2   1   1   0    4
O OYEDEJI             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
J SASSER              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
R HUMPHREY            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   33-88    24-28    16  31  47   15  23   6  12   97
                            (.375)  (.857)  TEAM REBS: 11 TOTAL TO: 12 (18 PTS)    
  
   BOSTON             25   20   36   21   -   102
   ORLANDO            23   25   27   22   -   97
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: BOSTON - T BATTIE 3, T DELK.  ORLANDO - T MCGRADY.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: BOSTON 7-22 (.318), W MCCARTY 1-4, A WALKER 2-6,
P PIERCE 1-4, T DELK 1-3, S WILLIAMS 1-3, E WILLIAMS 1-2. ORLANDO 7-
20 (.350), P GARRITY 2-5, T MCGRADY 4-8, M MILLER 0-1, D ARMSTRONG 1-
6.
TECHNICAL FOULS: BOSTON - A WALKER. ORLANDO - COACH RIVERS.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BERNIE FRYER, GEORGE TOLIVER, JAMES CAPERS.
A - 13,302. T - 2:15.

Game Story

ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) -- Eric Williams moved back to the 
bench but stepped forward into a starring role for the Boston
Celtics.

Paul Pierce scored 12 of his 25 points in the third quarter and
Williams added a season-high 21 as the Celtics won for the
fourth time in five games against the Orlando Magic, 102-97.

The Celtics were trailing by four midway through the third when
Pierce scored four points during a 14-4 burst, which propelled
Boston to a 76-70 lead.

Williams, who was replaced by Walter McCarty in the starting
lineup, chipped in seven points in the third as Boston won for
the sixth time in seven games overall.

"We felt that we could exploit some matchups," Celtics coach Jim
O'Brien said.  "Eric is a very strong low-post player,
especially against (Pat) Garrity.  Paul and Antoine (Walker) and
Eric in the low post really made Orlando commit to guarding
them with two people and then they did a good job of finding
open teammates."

O'Brien's tactics worked as the Celtics outscored the Magic in
the paint, 42-24.

"I don't have an ego," Williams said.  "(O'Brien) wanted me to
come off the bench and come in late in the first quarter because
the matchups were different.

"This was one of those statement-type games.  We wanted to come
out and establish ourselves and see where we are."

The NBA scoring leader, Tracy McGrady battled through a sprained
left ankle to net 25 points and a season-high four steals.
Grant Hill contributed 22 points and a season-high 13 rebounds,
but the Magic had their three-game winning streak snapped.

"It's sore man, throbbing right now," McGrady said.  "I'll be
fine.  I've twisted my ankle so many times.  I'll be all right."

Though all five Magic starters reached double figures, Celtics
reserve Shammond Williams also scored 11 points as Boston's
bench outdueled Orlando's, 36-12.

"Eric Williams had a huge game," Magic coach Doc Rivers said.
"Their bench really hurt our bench tonight."

"I really can't tell you why we lost the game because Pierce
didn't hurt us, Walker didn't hurt us," McGrady said.  "Guys
came off the bench and did a great job.  Eric Williams (scored)
21 points, which is a season high.  But this is tough to
swallow."

McGrady converted 1-of-2 free throws with 4:14 remaining in the
contest to give Orlando a 93-92 edge.

But Williams' dunk off Pierce's eighth assist restored Boston's
one-point advantage.  Then, off McGrady's second turnover,
Walker put home a layup to make it 96-93.

Orlando failed to execute down the stretch.  During the next
three-plus minutes, the Magic combined to miss 3-of-4 shots and
commit a pair of turnovers.

"The turnovers really hurt us, obviously," said Rivers, whose
team's 12 turnovers were converted into 18 points.  "Darrell's
last one - that was more looking for a 3 when we could have
grabbed just two.  Grant just bobbled the ball - that's going to
happen to him still."

Pierce and Williams each hit a pair from the line to make it
100-95 with 21 seconds left.

"It was huge for us to come in here against a quality team like
the Magic," Pierce said.  "We could have looked at it like our
legs are tired, fourth quarter, one-point game, but we played
hard."