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NBA Scores: Orlando Magic Hold Off Celtics to Earn Eastern Conference Playoff Birth
Hedo Turkoglu scored 20 points, Grant Hill and Jameer Nelson each had 16 and Dwight Howard finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds as the Orlando Magic (38-42) beat the Boston Celtics (23-57) 88-86 to end a four year absence in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Heading into the fourth quarter it looked as if the Magic had all but locked up the game but the Celtics wouldn’t just roll over for Orlando. The Magic started the period with a 78-59 advantage and were up by 17 with 6:20 left in the game when the Celtics made their move. A 12-0 run pulled the Celtics to within five with 4:09 left on the clock and after Grant Hill hit a pair of free throws to give the Magic a seven point lead the Celtics countered with a 6-0 run and were down by one with just under a minute left in the game.
After Dwight Howard missed a pair of free-throws the Celtics had a chance to take the lead but Turkoglu blocked Rajon Rondo’s jumper and Howard grabbed the miss. Sent to the line once again, Howard hit one of two to keep the door open for the Celtics but Turkoglu came up big once again and blocked Delonte West’s final jumper.
Al Jefferson led the Celtics with 28 points and 6 rebounds in the loss. Boston will finishe the season with the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
