DPA/Los Angeles

Rajon Rondo is getting healthy and is back leading the Boston Celtics. Rondo had a season-best 19 points, 10 assists and six rebounds Sunday, and the Celtics snapped a four-game slide after a 96-89 home victory over the Orlando Magic in a match-up of Eastern Conference bottom feeders.

The Celtics had been 0-6 since Rondo returned on January 24 after missing nearly a year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. That changed after the former All-Star point guard had his best outing in the comeback.

“I felt more comfortable around the basket today, my flip shots were going in,” said Rondo, who made 9-of-11 shots after hitting just 27.9 per cent in the previous six contests.

“Rondo played great today, he looked like his old self,” said teammate Jared Sullinger following a game-high 21-point, 12-rebound effort. “He finally has his timing back and the more games he plays the more he’s going to get better. We’re looking forward to that.”

Celtics coach Brad Stevens was just as delighted to see his floor leader back in form. “He made shots today,” Stevens said. “He’s a very good pull-up shooter and that’s one of the things that coming back after a year was going to take some time to come back. Hopefully it’s back for good.”

Brandon Bass scored 19 and Avery Bradley added 17 for the Celtics (16-33) who had dropped 16 of their previous 19 outings. “Rondo is a coach on the floor and he’s leading us,” Bass said. “It feels great.”

Rondo hadn’t played since Tuesday but looked sharp and had the Celtics playing an uptempo style.

“We execute crisper, obviously because the ball is in one player’s hands a little bit longer,” Stevens explained. “He’s your play-maker, your leader and person who can create for himself and others.”

Rondo had 13 points by halftime, sparking Boston to a 54-45 cushion.  The Celtics led 71-64 entering the fourth quarter but a 10-2 Magic run cut it to 77-76 midway through the period.

Rondo then took charge, scoring or assisting on eight of Boston’s last nine baskets. Rondo hit a hook shot and assisted on Bradley’s jumper to make it 81-76. Bradley added two free throws, and the lead grew to 86-80 on Sullinger buried a jumper.

After the Magic drew to within 86-84, Rondo hit a jumper, found Jeff Green for another and Brandon Bass for two more, opening up a 94-86 advantage with 58 seconds left.

A 3-pointer by Glen Davis pulled Orlando within 94-89, but Rondo stripped Victor Oladipo of the ball under the Magic basket with 17 seconds left, sealing the Celtics’ 11th win in the last 12 meetings in the series.

“You feel like you’re really under control the way he was playing late,” Stevens said. “He gives us a lot of pluses going forward.”

Arron Afflalo netted 18 points, Davis had 15 against his former team and Nikola Vucevic finished with 14 and 11 boards for the Magic (13-36), who dropped to league-worst 3-22 on the road.

“In the fourth quarter we cut it to two and then the game got out of control from there,” Davis said. “Rondo hit some big jump shots that kind of put the game away.”

The contest was the only one on the NBA schedule.