It wasn't the 30 three-point shots that bothered Doc Rivers. It was the fact that only six of them went in Thursday night in a 99-89 loss to the Boston Celtics.
"Mike Miller and Pat Garrity can shoot a three anytime they want to," Rivers said. "Everyone else, I would prefer they put the ball on the floor and try to drive."
Miller and Garrity got into foul trouble early and Grant Hill is still out with his foot injury.
"That just leaves me," said Tracy McGrady, who led the Magic with 22 points -- none in the fourth quarter. "It's real tough because the defense was just keying on me the whole game."
Antoine Walker scored a season-high 33 points for the Celtics, hoisting 16 three-point shots of his own, just four short of the NBA record. The combined 60 three-point attempts for both teams was also four short of the league record.
But the Celtics hit a decent percentage (.357). The Magic were tossing up bricks.
"We did a good job of penetrating and drawing the defense, then hitting people out by the three-point line," said Boston Coach Jim O'Brien.
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The Orlando Magic continue to show as much muscle as the Pillsbury Doughboy.
Soft in the middle and mushy on the outside, the Magic lost their third consecutive game at home Thursday night. Following losses to Charlotte and Detroit, the Magic got thumped 99-89 by the Boston Celtics before an announced crowd of 14,519 at TD Waterhouse Centre.
Fans booed toward the end of the game as the Magic were unable to sustain a run to stay within striking distance. They trailed by as many as 13 points and never got within seven points of the Celtics after the 3-minute, 44-second mark of the final quarter.
"It was frustrating for us," guard Tracy McGrady said. "Fans obviously didn't like what they saw."
Their defensive liabilities again came into play as the Magic just escaped allowing 100 or more points for the fifth time in six games, reflecting a soft defensive look that is the worst statistically in the NBA.
The Magic, losing three games in a row at home for the first time since November 2000, fell to 7-9.
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Nov 29, 2001 11:56 AM EST
MIAMI - For Paul Pierce, Tuesday night was about overcoming obstacles. There was the Celtics' recent run of ragged play - of which he was an integral part - and there was early foul trouble that kept him on the bench for 12 minutes in the first half.
And then there was the Miami nightlife.
Pierce scored 33 points against the Heat, hitting the winning hoop on a slick drive as time ran out. And he did it a day after feeling more run down than road kill.
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Celtics Nov 2001 Archive
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| Nov 29, 2001
MIAMI - A day after rescuing the Celtics from an early deficit, Eric Williams was kept out of practice.
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| Nov 29, 2001
IAMI - When the Celtics raced onto the American Airlines Arena floor Tuesday night in Miami, celebrating a last-second win and the end of a four-game losing streak, you could almost hear the commercial voice-over.
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| Nov 29, 2001
IAMI - The Celtics met up with two NBA wise men last night: Hall of Famers Bob Cousy and Jack Ramsay.
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| Nov 29, 2001
TONIGHT: Boston Celtics, 7:30
WHERE: TD Waterhouse Centre.
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| Nov 28, 2001
MIAMI - Paul Pierce was as surprised as anyone when the left side of the lane opened up.
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| Nov 28, 2001
Just when you thought this nightmarish November couldn't get any worse .
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| Nov 27, 2001
MIAMI -- The Boston Celtics' practice at American Airlines Arena ended with coach Jim O'Brien demanding three "perfect" defensive stops from both the starters and the second unit.
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| Nov 27, 2001
MIAMI - When the words ``settling for jump shots'' dribbled out of Celtics coach Jim O'Brien's mouth, it immediately conjured images of his predecessor.
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| Nov 27, 2001
MIAMI - The Celtics continue to have confidence in Kenny Anderson.
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| Nov 27, 2001
IAMI - The Celtics have noticed a pronounced difference during their last two practices, and it has nothing to do with efforts to reverse a four-game losing streak.
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| Nov 26, 2001
WALTHAM, Mass.
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| Nov 26, 2001
MIAMI - Eric Williams went through his first full practice in three weeks yesterday and appears ready to be activated from the injured list, where he has spent the last five games with left knee tendinitis.
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| Nov 26, 2001
IAMI - Celtics practice at American Airlines Arena ended with coach Jim O'Brien demanding three ''perfect'' defensive stops from both the starters and the second unit.
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| Nov 25, 2001
WASHINGTON -- This time, Michael Jordan's tongue was hanging out of his mouth after the game.
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| Nov 25, 2001
ASHINGTON - Written in big, bold, black print on the erasable board in the visitors' locker room was the number 71.
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| Nov 24, 2001
After losing to the Toronto Raptors last night at the FleetCenter, 91-89, the Celtics kissed the easy part of their schedule goodbye.
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| Nov 24, 2001
With just less than seven minutes remaining last night, the Celtics had everything they could have possibly asked for.
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| Nov 24, 2001
he Celtics offered familiar refrains in their postgame analysis.
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| Nov 23, 2001
All meetings of the ``Celtics are Playoff Bound'' club have been postponed for the time being.
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| Nov 23, 2001
you're a Celtics fan, it might be wise to pray for Paul Pierce's tummy.
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| Nov 23, 2001
ALTHAM - Sometimes it takes two straight losses to get a team's attention, or at least the reluctant recognition from Antoine Walker of a problem with the Celtics' play.
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| Nov 22, 2001
BOSTON -- If you live by the three, you can also die by the three.
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| Nov 22, 2001
Milt Palacio in many ways might be a throwback to a more modest NBA era.
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| Nov 22, 2001
The turkey certainly won't taste that good to the Celtics on this holiday.
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| Nov 22, 2001
game time last night, the Celtics thoroughly believed their loss to the Hawks Saturday night was an aberration, an unexplainable once-a-season occurrence.
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| Nov 22, 2001
The Boston Globe has an important piece about Shareef Abdur-Rahim and how his Muslim faith has inspired him to contribute to America's efforts in these troubled times.
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| Nov 21, 2001
Back-to-back games against the same team are rare in the NBA.
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| Nov 21, 2001
Given his druthers, Celtics coach Jim O'Brien would have wanted his team to have been busier lately.
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| Nov 21, 2001
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| Nov 20, 2001
the early indications on what newcomer Erick Strickland can bring to the Celtics - strong defensive play, sophistication and scoring - continue, they have indeed added a solid complementary piece to their unfinished puzzle.
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| Nov 20, 2001
After 10 full seasons in the NBA, Celtics guard Kenny Anderson knows that the perception fans might have of him can be innocently outmoded.
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| Nov 20, 2001
ALTHAM - One more day of practice, and then the games are going to start getting in the way.
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| Nov 20, 2001
ALTHAM - If the renewal form for the Kedrick Brown Fan Club arrived in the mail today, you might wonder, justifiably, whether you should pony up the dues for another year.
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| Nov 19, 2001
The Celtics have won four of their five home games this season.
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| Nov 19, 2001
im O'Brien gave the Celtics yesterday off, an unusual move for a coach who witnessed his team come out flat against the Hawks Saturday night.
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| Nov 18, 2001
The Celtics are hoping to end the longest postseason drought among Atlantic Division teams and crash the Eastern Conference playoffs this season.
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| Nov 18, 2001
ATLANTA - The cards were dealt in the Celtics' favor as last night's game against the Hawks began.
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| Nov 18, 2001
TLANTA - There are some mistakes that make coaches cringe (turnovers), and some that make them yell (failure to crash the boards).
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| Nov 18, 2001
TLANTA - The first half of last night's game against the Hawks left Erick Strickland ''dumbfounded,'' Antoine Walker defensive, and Paul Pierce asking, ''What are we doing out here?''
For the first two quarters, however, it was all about what the Celtics didn't do (rebound, stop the Hawks from shooting 63.
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| Nov 18, 2001
It's way too early to predict who'll finish this season as rookie of the year, but Boston's Joe Johnson continues to make a strong bid for the award.
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| Nov 18, 2001
It's an old NBA story.
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| Nov 17, 2001
The slogan is more meaningful and appropriate than the standard selection of cliches because it refers to the slow-starting Hawks' recent 32-point victory over the Jazz.
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| Nov 16, 2001
The Celtics yesterday said they expect to reactivate rookie guard Joseph Forte for tomorrow night's contest at Atlanta.
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| Nov 16, 2001
ALTHAM - Sometimes the best-laid plans of NBA coaches go awry.
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| Nov 16, 2001
ALTHAM - One of the Celtics' worst-kept secrets was that Paul Pierce was struggling from the line.
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| Nov 15, 2001
BOSTON -- It's safe to say the Boston Celtics have found their long-awaited third offensive option in the person of rookie Joe Johnson.
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| Nov 15, 2001
The Celtics' schedule thus far can best be described as insulation.
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| Nov 15, 2001
Celtic players won't have as much heavy lifting to do today.
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| Nov 15, 2001
Just moments after the Celtics closed out last night's 101-93 victory over the Indiana Pacers at the FleetCenter, somebody handed Paul Pierce a stat sheet.
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| Nov 15, 2001
Erick Strickland is the type of in-your-face defensive player who more than likely aggravated many kings of the playground during his younger days.
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| Nov 15, 2001
ou are not having flashbacks.
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| Nov 15, 2001
the final seconds ticked off the clock on the Celtics' final possession, Paul Pierce didn't run back up the court.
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| Nov 14, 2001
ALTHAM - Flash back to March 30.
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| Nov 14, 2001
If the Celtics had been able to play solid defense, Jim O'Brien knew they had a decent chance to make the playoffs last season.
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| Nov 14, 2001
Eric Williams will not play tonight.
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| Nov 11, 2001
Chris Herren is still looking around the NBA for opportunities to play.
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| Nov 10, 2001
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Seattle could not stop Paul Pierce all night.
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| Nov 10, 2001
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| Nov 9, 2001
WHEN: Today, 4:30
WHERE: FleetCenter
TV/RADIO: No TV; KJR-AM/950
RECORDS: Sonics 2-4, Celtics 2-2
INJURY REPORT: Sonics: C Calvin Booth (sprained ankle), C Predrag Drobnjak (sprained ankle) and G Shammond Williams (broken finger) are out.
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| Nov 9, 2001
Michael Jordan gave Antoine Walker some lessons when they practiced together in Chicago during the summer.
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| Nov 9, 2001
With Eric Williams out, Antoine Walker played every second against Washington.
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| Nov 9, 2001
Antoine Walker played possibly his best game ever against Washington on Wednesday.
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| Nov 9, 2001
Joe Johnson plays against MJ and looks pretty good.
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| Nov 8, 2001
Michael Jordan called Boston's Antoine Walker one of the most talented players in the league Tuesday, and one night later Walker proved him to be right on the money.
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| Nov 7, 2001
The fact that Washington Wizards small forward Michael Jordan was looking forward to facing Boston Celtics swingman Paul Pierce again wasn't the part that raised eyebrows, especially since some trash was talked and a few elbows were exchanged in Boston's 107-93 preseason-ending victory Oct.
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| Nov 6, 2001
Everywhere, there is change.
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| Nov 6, 2001
Kenny Anderson has re-dedicated himself to the game, and the results are showing.
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| Nov 6, 2001
Rookie Joe Johnson is looking like a solid third option for the Celtics behind Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker.
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| Nov 4, 2001
Vecsey wonders how much more Malone can take
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| Nov 4, 2001
Erick Strickland only had one practise, but he made a big conribution his first game with Boston.
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| Nov 3, 2001
Roshown McLeod is frustrated about his injuries.
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| Nov 3, 2001
Erick Strickland is a tough, versatile guard who should be able to help the Celtics.
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| Nov 2, 2001
Antoine Walker has dismal shooting night as Boston loses to New Jersey.
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| Nov 1, 2001
Erick Strickland opted out of the final 3 years of his contract in the offseason.
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| Nov 1, 2001
The opening night match-up had #8 pick DeSagana Diop and #10 pick Joe Johnson playing each other.
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