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.