Short-handed Celtics crush Magic 87-56

Jan 24, 2012, 7:05 GMT

Los Angeles - Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass scored 19 points apiece as the short-handed Boston Celtics crushed the visiting Orlando Magic 87-56.

The Celtics rolled Monday night to their second-straight win without All-Star guards Ray Allen (jammed right ankle) and Rajon Rondo (right wrist sprain) along with three reserves by holding the Magic to franchise records for fewest points in a game while forcing them to shoot an icy-cold 24.6 per cent (16-of-65) from the field.

After leading 46-36 at halftime, the Celtics allowed the Magic to score just 20 points on 5-of-27 shooting in the third and fourth quarters for the lopsided victory.

Dwight Howard had 18 points and 14 rebounds for Orlando, which had its four-game road winning streak snapped.

League most valuable player Derrick Rose returned after missing the past four games with a left big toe sprain with 22 points, and Richard Hamilton also had 22 as the Chicago Bulls charged past the visiting New Jersey Nets for their fourth-straight win 110-95.

Tim Duncan scored a season-high 28 points, including the game-winning 4-metre hook shot with 1.4 seconds left, and the visiting San Antonio Spurs handed the New Orleans Hornets their eighth-straight loss 104-102.

Elsewhere, the reigning NBA champion Dallas Mavericks won their seventh in a row at home after shading the Phoenix Suns 93-87; the visiting Atlanta Hawks stopped the Milwaukee Bucks 97-92; the Philadelphia 76ers kept the league-worst Washington Wizards without a road win 103-83; and the Oklahoma City Thunder dismantled the visiting Detroit Pistons 99-79.

The visiting Houston Rockets also won their seventh in a row 107-92 over the Minnesota Timberwolves; the Portland Trail Blazers beat the visiting Sacramento Kings for the 11th time in the past 12 meetings 101-89; and the visiting Memphis Grizzlies eked out a win over the Golden State Warriors 91-90.