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Sports

Celtics, Magic tangle in Orlando

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

(SportsNetwork.com) - Jameer Nelson spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Orlando Magic and will face his former team Tuesday, as the Boston Celtics pay a visit to the Amway Center.

Nelson played 23 games with the Dallas Mavericks this season and was a part of Rajon Rondo deal last week. He made his Boston debut in Sunday's 100-84 loss to the Miami Heat and scored three points in 20 minutes.

"I'm just taking it one day at a time. My job is to play," Nelson said. "I'll give everything I have for my guys in this locker room. I'll try to help the coaches out once I get comfortable."

Tyler Zeller scored 22 points and both Jeff Green and Kelly Olynyk scored 13 points apiece for the Celtics, who had a three-game winning streak stopped and turned the ball over 15 times. The 84 points were a season low.

"I didn't feel like we kept up with their speed all day," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "I thought that we looked a step behind all day."

Celtics rookie Marcus Smart made his first start and recorded three points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal. Guard Avery Bradley is probable Tuesday with a head issue suffered in Monday's practice.

Bradley is averaging 12.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 24 games.

Boston has a 3-7 road mark this season.

The Magic are 0-2 on a four-game homestand and have lost four straight and six of the last seven games, including Sunday's 96-88 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Magic second-year guard Victor Oladipo led all scorers with 23 points and Nikola Vucevic contributed 19 points and 17 rebounds. Tobias Harris, who is questionable Tuesday night with a finger bruise, posted 17 points and leads the Magic with 18.6 ppg.

"I think the biggest thing for us, right now, what I think is of great importance, is we stay together," Oladipo said of the losing streak. "If we don't stay positive, this thing can go negative really fast."

Orlando will close the homestand Friday versus Cleveland and is 3-8 as the host this season. The Magic dropped a 109-92 decision in Boston last Wednesday, as Vucevic finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Brandon Bass scored 18 points off the Boston bench in that one for the Celtics, who went 3-1 in this series a season ago.