BOSTON - Systematic destruction best sums up what the Boston Celtics did to the Orlando Magic on Monday night. In a valiant effort, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett picked up the slack for a team missing five players and two starters and led the Celtics to a big 87-56 win over the Magic at TD Garden.
The offense wasn't particularly pretty on either side, with the two teams combining to shoot 28.2 percent on 46-of-143 shooting. Orlando, however, couldn't get its act together all night, finishing 16-of-65 from the floor (25 percent).
Pierce and Brandon Bass led the charge, with the Celtics' captain finishing with 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds and Bass totaling 19 points and eight rebounds in 32 minutes. Kevin Garnett totaled 14 points and 10 boards and Avery Bradley chipped in with six points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals while playing lockdown defense all night.
Dwight Howard lef the Magic with 18 points and 14 rebounds, but went 10-for-18 from the free throw line. Glen Davis, who made his return to Boston for the first time since being traded to Orlando for Bass, put together a solid game and finished with six points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
Boston is off until Thursday night when it takes on the Magic down in Orlando, Florida.
For more Celtics and Magic coverage, visit CelticsBlog and Orlando Pinstriped Post.