BOSTON _ If the Orlando Magic needed yet another reminder about the value of having at least one All-Star, they received that reminder Friday night.
Isaiah Thomas, Boston's diminutive All-Star point guard, scored a game-high 35 points to lead the Celtics to a pulse-pounding 117-116 victory at TD Garden.
The game came down to the last seconds.
Elfrid Payton drove into the lane and missed a right-handed layup attempt with 2.0 seconds to go.
Payton finished with 12 points and a career-high 15 assists, and Aaron Gordon added 32 points, one point shy of tying his career high. But their big performances weren't enough to counteract Thomas' big game.
Evan Fournier gave the Magic a 116-115 lead when he made a 3-pointer with 1:50 to play.
A short while later, Thomas missed a 3-pointer of his own.
But the Magic couldn't extend their lead. Gordon received a lob near the hoop, but he could not make his one-handed dunk attempt.
On Boston's ensuing possession, Gordon fouled Al Horford, who made both of his free-throw attempts to put the Celtics ahead to stay.
Terrence Ross followed by missing 3-pointers on each of Orlando's next two possessions.
When Thomas missed another 3 and Ross collected the defensive rebound, the ball went to Payton, who drove into the lane and missed his layup attempt.
The Magic and Celtics played twice earlier this season, the Celtics utterly dominated those games, winning each matchup by 30 points apiece.
