Anfernee Simons had one of his best games yet with the Boston Celtics vs. the Orlando Magic in Boston's 138-129 win at TD Garden on Sunday (Nov. 23) night. The Florida native put up 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists in 22 minutes of play, shooting 8-of-11 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
And it was Simons' hot shooting that helped Boston build a cushion big enough to fend off an improbable fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the Magic's deep reserves, the Celtics playing small with a number of absences on Orlando's side making such a lineup possible -- and an early injury to starting center Neemias Queta making it somewhat necessary for Boston. That small-ball lineup "made us play even faster," said Simons after the game, which saw Orlando play similarly in stretches as well.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I think they went to a couple of small lineups as well, but for us; we just played the same exact way— (...) even faster than we were before."
Nov 23, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) gets fouled by Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (4) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images"I think we were just playing with a faster pace, getting the ball down the court quickly, just getting to our actions quickly," said Simons of what got Boston off to that hot start. "So I think, obviously, we knew they were on the second night of a back-to-back, and so we just wanted to play faster and use that to our advantage."
Given the Celtics put up an 80-point first half -- scoring at a historic rate -- it's safe to say that plan worked given the game ended in a win.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Anfernee Simons on what sparked Celtics historic first half vs. Magic
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