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January 30, 2010

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Celtics fizzle as Lewis' layup works the Magic

Source: Agencies | January 30, 2010, Saturday | Print Edition

RASHARD Lewis made a driving layup with 1.3 seconds left on the clock to give the Orlando Magic a 96-94 win over Eastern Conference rivals the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

Lewis scored a game-high 23 points and Boston's Rasheed Wallace missed badly on a three-point attempt as time expired to complete an improbable come-from-behind win for the Magic (30-16).

"Turned the corner, took it to the basket and was expecting the defense to collapse," Lewis told reporters. "I was surprised when I turned to the basket and nobody was there."

Trailing by 14 early in the fourth quarter, Dwight Howard spearheaded a rally with 11 of his 19 coming in the final period to go with 10 boards and four blocks.

Howard scored nine straight Orlando points to spark a 12-4 run that gave the home team an 84-83 lead with 4:52 to go, their first advantage of the game.

Elsewhere in the National Basketball Association, it was: Suns 112, Mavericks 106; and Raptors 106, Knicks 104.

In Orlando, Florida, Ray Allen made his first seven shots and finished with 20 points while Wallace had 17 for the Celtics (29-14) who lost for the first time in three games since Kevin Garnett returned from a knee injury.

Despite squandering their big lead Boston was in good position when Paul Pierce made a three-pointer and Rajon Rondo added a runner to put the team up by three with 51 seconds left.

However, Magic guard JJ Redick tied the game with a long bomb of his own, and after a defensive stop, Lewis took advantage of a defensive mix-up by the Celtics to swoop for the game-winning score.

"Rashard saved me," said Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy. "We couldn't get Vince (Carter) the ball. Rashard bailed me out." It was the fourth win in five games for Orlando which tied the Atlanta Hawks for the Southeast Division lead -- though it trails in winning percentage.

In a reprise of the postseason when the Magic beat the Celtics in Game 7, Orlando got off to a bad start and trailed by 11 at the half.

Howard recorded just five points in the first two quarters and battled foul trouble.

Garnett experienced his worst performance since rejoining Boston's lineup, meanwhile, going 2-for-8 from the field for six points.
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