Celtics Fail to Close Out, Lose to Magic 92-89
While Jameer Nelson got the start, Delonte West had to play off the bench. Still, tonight was a night for the former St. Joes’ teammates to reunite and compete against rather than alongside one another. In the end it was Jameer Nelson and the Orlando Magic who got the last laugh as well as the win, 92-89. Nelson led the Magic with his 24 point effort.
For the Celtics, captain Paul Pierce led the scoring efforts with 21 points despite his 6 for 20 shooting performance. Pierce also contributed five turnovers, one of which allowed the Magic to regain the lead with little more than two minutes on the clock.
Another young Celtics player stepped up when Leon Powe (Tommy Award Winner!) made his first appearance. Ryan Gomes and Brian Scalabrine both picked up a pair of fouls each early in the first quarter — and that unlocked the door for Powe to make his entry. On the night Powe played 25 minutes with 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 10 points.
Delonte West played a very good game making his first three shots on the night including a three pointer. He finished he night playing 27 minutes while coming away with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 13 points.
For more thoughts of mine on this loss, in particular Pierce’s inability to perform at critical junctures — please see the game thread over in the discussion board.
Comments
Leave a Reply