Celtics Close Late to Beat Magic 108-97 for Fifth Straight Win

The Boston Celtics stretched their winning run to five games with a 108-97 victory over the Orlando Magic in Sunday's matinee at the Kia Center. Boston, which had not lost since its opening-day defeat, led for much of the afternoon but could not shake off a short-handed Orlando side that refused to go away. The Magic, missing several players including Paolo Banchero, hung tough and were within four points with just under four minutes remaining. That was as close as they got. Boston closed the game with an 11-4 run to seal an 11-point win and improve to 5-1 on the season, while Orlando slipped to its fourth defeat. Tristan da Silva led the Magic with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting, but turnovers proved costly for the hosts. Orlando gave the ball away 18 times, and Boston turned those mistakes into 21 points — a decisive edge in a game that stayed competitive for three and a half quarters. The Celtics' ability to win on the road while short of their own full complement will encourage them as a demanding stretch continues, with a trip to Houston next on the schedule.