Who: Orlando Magic (17-18) vs. Boston Celtics (20-12).
When: 7:30 p.m., today.
Where: Orlando's TD Waterhouse Centre
Tickets: Approximately 2,000 available; call 1-800-4-NBA-TIX
TV, radio: Sunshine Network; WMEL-AM 920, WDBO-AM 580.
Starters: Orlando -- guards Darrell Armstrong, Tracy McGrady; forwards Mike Miller, Horace Grant; center Patrick Ewing. Boston -- guards Kenny Anderson, Paul Pierce; forwards Antoine Walker, Joe Johnson; center Tony Battie.
Magic notes: Orlando comes into the game playing quite well, having won its past two games and four of the past five. Orlando defeated Golden State 118-109 Saturday, a night after hammering the red-hot Nets in New Jersey. Orlando had five players in double figures in scoring and sank 13 3-pointers. . . . Reserve point guard Troy Hudson has been a surprise threat of late, spelling a worn-down Darrell Armstrong. Hudson had a season-high 26 points in Saturday's win. He scored 15 last week in New York and had 14 in the win against New Jersey. . . . For the first time in the past seven games, Mike Miller made more than half of his shots. Against the Warriors, he hit 6 of 11 shots and scored 17 of his 19 shots in the first half. . . . Teams are double-teaming Tracy McGrady more and more, but he still is finding ways to be effective. Against the Warriors he had just 17 points, but added 10 rebounds and eight assists. . . . Veteran center Patrick Ewing, back in the starting lineup the past two games, is questionable because of a strained right calf. He suffered the muscle injury in the third quarter Saturday and did not return to the game.
Celtics notes: Boston has given the Magic fits this season, beating them 99-89 in Orlando and 110-94 last week in Boston. In that past game, Boston wiped out a one-point deficit by outscoring the Magic 40-23 in the second quarter. Boston's trio of Antoine Walker (30 points), Paul Pierce (24) and Kenny Anderson shredded the Magic by combining to hit 32 of 51 shots. Overall, the Celtics shot 54 percent from the floor. . . . Orlando has no one to guard Walker, who has scored 30 points in each game against Orlando so far. His size gives Mike Miller and Tracy McGrady problems, while his quickness and outside shooting usually are too much for Horace Grant to handle. Walker has taken more shots than anyone in the NBA (707), but is shooting just 39 percent from the floor. Also, he is first in the league in 3-pointers made (100) and attempted (277). . . . Paul Pierce is second in the NBA in scoring (27 ppg), fourth in steals (1.97) and fourth in minutes played (41). Like Walker, he is dangerous from afar. He is second in the NBA in 3-pointers made (91) and attempted (220).
Next for the Magic: 8 p.m. Wednesday at Philadelphia 76ers (UPN-65).