BOSTON — The Celtics used their best scoring half of the season on Sunday night to propel them to a 128-129 win over the shorthanded Magic at TD Garden.
Anfernee Simons led the way during that 80-point scoring explosion in the first half, making him Sunday’s “Name to Know” Player of the Game. The Name to Know Player of the Game is sponsored by John’s Sewer and Drain Cleaning, the Name to Know when your drains don’t flow.
Simons scored 16 of his 23 points in the first half, leading all Boston scorers before intermission in a superb offensive performance. Boston shot 64.6 percent before intermission, with Simons going 6-of-8 from the field off the bench in his 14 minutes. He also was 3-of-5 from 3-point range during that stretch, helping Boston’s bench break open the game with 32 bench points in the first half alone.
Simons has saved some of his best work of the season against the Magic, as he also scored 25 points in the first half against Orlando on Nov. 11 in a win at Amway Arena.
His scoring on Sunday night early also seemed to get the rest of Boston’s offense going as the hosts erupted for 48 second quarter points on 78.3 percent shooting from the field. The Celtics also played unselfish basketball during this stretch, piling up 12 assists compared to just one turnover against a undermanned Magic squad playing without three starters.
The Celtics will need more of this efficient scoring from Simons in the upcoming week as a brutal stretch of tough defenses looms ahead for Boston, starting with Detroit on Wednesday night before a road trip to Minnesota and Cleveland next weekend.
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