After beating Rockets, Celtics host fading Magic

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics picked up their first victory of the season against one of the NBA's elite when they downed the Houston Rockets at TD Garden Wednesday night.

Friday night, they host one of the league's ... well, non-elites when the 18-29 Orlando Magic hit town.

Wednesday, there was a playoff-like atmosphere. Friday night ... probably not so much.

"Yeah, it was (playoff-like), it was a game we needed," Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas said after his latest fourth-quarter magic. "It was a must win for us and we played like it. We got to try to be a little more consistent in playing that way and we'll be all right."

The win allowed the Celtics to avoid what would have been their first four-game losing streak.

The Celtics played great defense against James Harden, who was 3 of 15 from the floor before hitting three meaningless baskets late in the game. Jae Crowder was the primary defender, but every time there was a screen, Harden had a different Celtic -- including even big man Al Horford -- in his face.

And as so often happens, Crowder, the player in charge of defense, had 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens liked what he saw from his team, which was playing without the injured Avery Bradley -- a top defender.

"I thought our guys did a really good job tonight. I thought they stayed together through the good times and the bad times. I thought they were tough," Stevens said. "I thought we got stops when we needed to. And obviously I thought the execution and the shot-making in the fourth quarter was outstanding."

Al Horford suffered what he thought was a minor groin pull Wednesday night, saying before he left the building he didn't think it was a big deal. Before that, he told Celtics radio: "We'll see what it is. I think it's the groin. It was a very weird feeling."

Tuesday night, the injury-riddled Magic lost to the Bulls in Orlando, their second straight loss and fifth in the last six games.

"It was a tough loss -- a tough loss," said Magic forward Jeff Green, a former Celtic. "But we've got to regroup."

Regrouping could be tough as the Magic have been attacked by injuries at the guard spot. Jodie Meeks had thumb surgery this week and could be gone for the season. Evan Fournier has missed six games with a foot injury. D.J. Augustin has a sprained right ankle.

Updating the limping wounded Thursday, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reported neither Fournier nor Augustin practiced, both working individually. No word on their status for Friday.

The Celtics (27-18) have won 11 straight over the Magic at TD Garden.

Robbins pointed out Thursday that Orlando has lost to its next three opponents -- Boston, Toronto and Minnesota -- by 30, 30 and 16 points and are 0-5 against their next four opponents (Toronto twice) with an average margin of defeat of 21.2 points.

To show it's not all gloom and doom with this team, the Magic's website reported Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon both "worked" for Southwest Airlines Wednesday -- helping out in everything from ground work to handing out snacks.

"It was a really fun experience," Vucevic said. "You get to see stuff that you can't really see as a passenger."

Said Gordon: "I learned how to bring in an airplane and guide an airplane out to take off."

This was the second time they hung out with Southwest, even greeting passengers.

"It's nice to see the expressions on people's faces," Gordon said. "They are smiling, laughing, it's really cool."

Green moved into the starting lineup Tuesday and scored 13 points, but went 3 for 11 from the floor, adding seven rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes.