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Celtics entertain lowly Magic at TD Garden

Feb 1, 2013 - 3:47 PM (Sports Network) - The Boston Celtics will try to stay undefeated without All- Star guard Rajon Rondo on Friday night when they host the struggling Orlando Magic.

The Celtics announced Sunday during a double-overtime victory over the defending champion Miami Heat that Rondo tore his ACL and would miss the remainder of the season.

Courtney Lee was inserted into the starting lineup Wednesday night as the Celtics rolled over the Sacramento Kings, 99-81. Lee only managed nine points and three assists in just over 26 minutes.

Six Boston players scored in double figures, led by Paul Pierce, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds. It was a great all-around effort by the Celtics, but excitement was tempered by yet another injury.

Rookie Jared Sullinger, who recently cracked the starting lineup, left the game after a little over four minutes of action due to back spasms. He is listed as day-to-day.

"No, I'm not that concerned," said head coach Doc Rivers. "Can he miss games, like I said yesterday? He may. But it's not anything career-threatening or anything like that."

The Magic have been brutal of late, losing seven in a row. This is the third game of a five-game road trip that will see them take on the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.

On Wednesday, the Magic fell to the New York Knicks, 113-97. As if the horrendous play wasn't tough enough for Orlando, starting forward Glen Davis fractured his left foot, already underwent surgery and will be on the shelf for eight-plus weeks.

The Magic will now be without arguably their best player and a co-captain. Davis was out almost a month in December and January with a badly sprained shoulder, but he returned ahead of schedule.

This injury appears to be more serious and Davis will probably miss the remainder of the season.

"It's really unfortunate because I know that he looked forward to this year," head coach Jacque Vaughn said of his injured player. "This was new territory for him (being a captain and a starter). So it's really unfortunate for him to be hurt this year for multiple times."

During this seven-game slide, Orlando has surrendered 100-plus points five times and 97 points the other two. To make matters even worse, if that's possible, leading scorer Arron Afflalo is still day-to-day with a strained left calf.

The Celtics, who are on the third of a four-game homestand, have won six straight in this series with Orlando, including a 116-110 road victory on Nov. 25.