=== Boston Celtics Team Report - January 8 ===

(My Sportsbook) - Paul Pierce scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds as the Boston Celtics beat the Orlando Magic, 101-93, on Wednesday at the FleetCenter.

Pierce was one assist shy of a triple-double for the Celtics, who were playing without the services of forward Vin Baker. Baker is serving the first of a three-game suspension and has also been fined an undisclosed amount of money for failing to comply with his treatment program.

Mike James netted 21 points and Chris Mihm chipped in 11 points and 11 rebounds for Boston, which snapped a three-game home losing streak.

Boston held a 60-50 advantage at the intermission and then scored the first seven points of the third quarter to take a commanding 67-50 lead. Boston maintained a 17-point lead after Mihm's slam made it a 74-57 game with 5:28 left in the period.

However, the Magic followed Mihm's basket by going on a 13-4 run, capped by Gordan Giricek's jumper, to pull within 78-70 with 57 seconds left in the third.

After three quarters of play, the Celtics held a slim eight-point lead at 80-72.

Boston opened the final stanza with a 10-0 run to push the score to 90-72 with 8:16 left in the contest. Jiri Welsch had six points during the run.

Orlando would pull within 92-86 as a Tracy McGrady three-pointer highlighted a 14-2 run.

That was as close as the Magic would get. Pierce's four straight points down the stretch sealed the victory for the Celtics.

Welsch ended with 13 points, while Ricky Davis and McCarty each scored 12 points for the Celtics, who have won six of their last eight contests against the Magic.

The Celtics are off until Friday when they host rookie phenom LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.