ORLANDO, Fla. — Guard Victor Oladipo scored 22 points and forward Tobias Harris added 21 to lead the Orlando Magic to a 103-98 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday night at the Amway Center.
The Magic (21-43) used a 12-0 rally late in the fourth quarter to secure the victory and snap Boston’s two-game winning streak. The Celtics (25-36) are battling to stay in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Unheralded Magic center Dewayne Dedmon had 11 points and 16 rebounds, both career highs in just his third start this season. Rookie point guard Elfrid Payton had 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Reserve forward Maurice Harkless had 14 points and seven rebounds.
Forward Brandon Bass led the Celtics with 19 points and 17 rebounds. Rookie point guard Marcus Smart had 16 points and five steals. Reserve Isaiah Thomas finished with 21 points and nine assists.
Smart, who was starting in place of injured guard Avery Bradley, was ejected for a flagrant II personal foul on Payton with 28 seconds remaining. A flagrant I person foul was called against Thomas with 17 seconds remaining.
The decisive run, which included 3-pointers from Harris and Harkless, gave the Magic a 90-84 lead and momentum they never lost.
The Celtics led 77-73 when Thomas hit three free throws with 8:02 remaining, fouled for the second time behind the 3-point arc. Boston led 80-75 when forward Gigi Datome hit his second 3-pointer. Bass sank back-to-back shots for an 84-80 advantage.
The Magic regained the lead, 85-84, with 3:06 remaining on a pair of free throws by Payton.
The game was tied at 69 going into the final period.
The Magic grabbed their first lead, 61-59, with 4:10 remaining in the third period on a basket by Oladipo. He had 11 points in the quarter and completed two three-point plays.
The Celtics never trailed in the first half, leading 49-43 at intermission. Thomas had 10 first-half points, while Harris led all scorers with 12 points at the break.
NOTES: The Magic were without leading scorer C Nikola Vucevic (ankle sprain) for the second consecutive game. Also missing Sunday were F Evan Fournier, G Willie Green (sore Achilles tendon) and G Luke Ridnour (strained hamstring). … The Celtics were without starting F Jared Sullinger (stress fracture in foot) for the ninth consecutive game and starting G Avery Bradley (left elbow sprain) for a second game in a row. Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Sunday that Bradley would not be available Monday in Miami, but he hopes to have him Wednesday when the Celtics return home. … On Friday, Magic G Victor Oladipo became just the second player in the NBA (joining Russell Westbrook) to have a game with 30-plus points, 10-plus assists and five-plus steals. “I’m just trying to become a more complete player,” he said.