LOS ANGELES, 1 December 2004 — Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers was back in Orlando, enjoying a measure of revenge against the team that fired him.
Paul Pierce scored 24 points and Marcus Banks added a season-high 20 off the bench to lead seven players in double figures as the visiting Celtics crushed the Orlando Magic, 117-101 on Monday night to break a four-game losing streak.
Though too classy to admit it, the victory was sweet for Rivers, who was given his pink slip a year ago by the Magic when the team began the season 1-10 and never recovered.
“For me, I just kept it on the guys,” said Rivers, who guided Orlando to a 171-168 mark, three playoff appearances, and was named the 2001 Coach of the Year during his four-plus seasons. “It couldn’t be about me. It had to be about the players, and the players answered tonight.”
But Pierce sensed Rivers was beaming inside after beating his former employer.
“I know Doc is feeling pretty good about this team and the fact they let him go this year,” Pierce said. “It worked out for him and the team tonight.”
The Celtics shredded the Magic’s defense early and often in the romp. They went ahead by 10 points midway through the opening quarter, doubled the margin in the second frame and widened the gap to 27 midway through the third quarter before cruising home.
Hedo Turkoglu scored 18 points to pace Orlando, which suffered its worst loss of the season. Kelvin Cato had season-highs of 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Clippers 94 Cavaliers 82: Elton Brand scored a season-high 30 points, and the Clippers closed on a 19-4 run to pull away from the LeBron James-led Cavaliers for their fourth consecutive victory.
Bobby Simmons had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles, (9-6) off to their best start since the 1974-75 team opened 12-3 while playing in Buffalo. Marco Jaric collected 16 points and 11 assists while Mikki Moore chipped in with 13 points off the bench.
Los Angeles built a 16-point lead that was sliced to 73-72 early in the fourth quarter. After a dunk by Brand, Moore (nine points) and Simmons (eight points) combined to score the Clippers final 17 points to nail down the win.
Second-year sensation James had 22 points, seven assists and six steals for visiting Cleveland, (9-5), which lost for just the second time in the last 11 games. Zydrunas Ilgauskas finished with 16 points.
Nuggets 76 Hornets 67: Earl Boykins scored 22 points and the Nuggets held the shorthanded Hornets to eight fourth-quarter points to rally for their sixth victory in the last seven games despite the absence of injured All-Star Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony sat out his first game of the season after suffering a right ankle sprain against Houston on Saturday.
Lee Nailon scored 16 points for New Orleans, which missed 13 of 17 field goals in the final frame, to fall to a league-worst 1-12. The Hornets played without injured All-Stars Baron Davis and Jamaal Magloire.
