Jonathon Simmons of the Orlando Magic had some bold statements following their massive road win against the Boston Celtics on Monday night. The 29-year-old forward claimed in a postgame interview with FOX Sports that they are just as good as the Celtics.
“It's always good to get a road win, a steal on the road against a good team. And I think we're just as good as them. We just have to learn each other's tendencies and just get better continuity with each other. I like our chances against anybody, but we have to do it every night.” Simmons said.
The Magic pulled off the upset against the mighty Celtics in Beantown, 93-90. Four Magic players recorded a double-double in this game with Nikola Vucevic leading the way, notching 24 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
Sophomore Jonathan Isaac also had a breakout game with 18 points and 12 boards, and he nailed a crucial jumper with under a minute to play to give the Magic a five-point cushion. In the final seconds, Boston had two chances to send the game into overtime, but came up short on both attempts.
Simmons is technically correct with his statement since both teams are 2-2 in the standings, though his claim is obviously a major reach given the Celtics are a favorite in the Eastern Conference and the Magic have been bad for years.
Consistency has been a problem for the Magic, especially last season when they got off a great 8-4 start. However, things fell apart for them after they dropped nine straight games in November. They ultimately missed out on the postseason and have never made the playoffs since Dwight Howard left town.
But it's a new season and a fresh start for the Magic, who have shown flashes of improvement early this season. Their wins against the Celtics and Miami Heat have to be encouraging signs for them. Moreover, they were also able to hang on in their matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Can Orlando finally climb out of the lottery and snag one of the playoff spots this season? We'll see as the season unfolds.
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