It was the tale of two halves.
The Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic tipped off their first-round playoff series on Sunday, with the defending champion Celtics coming out on top in Game 1 by 17, 103-86. However, it was far from a cake walk or an easy victory for the Celtics as the scrappy Magic kept things interesting and close in the first half.
One of the bigger headlines of this game came toward the end when Celtics star Jayson Tatum sustained a wrist injury. The star seemed to be in some considerable pain but managed to tough it out and stay in the game.
With Boston leading 89-73 with 8:28 left in the fourth, Tatum went up for a dunk and was hit hard by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as he attempted to block it. Tatum landed hard and awkwardly on his right side. He stayed down for a few minutes, with a hush over the crowd and his teammates by his side, before eventually rising to his feet, clenching his right hand. After a video review by referees, Caldwell-Pope’s foul was upgraded to a flagrant foul Penalty One. Tatum came up short on the two ensuing free throws.
The Celtics and their fans are hoping that the injury is not too serious, but more information should be available withing the next 24-48 hours. Tatum was holding the wrist on the bench after he fell to the ground.
Derrick White scored a team-high 30 points, on 10-18 from the field and knocked down seven 3s. Tatum had 17 points and 14 rebounds. The favorite for Sixth Man of the Year, Payton Pritchard continued to deliver off the bench, adding 19 points for Boston.
Jaylen Brown played 31 minutes and had 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting after missing the final three games of the regular season due to a bone bruise that has been bothering him since February.
The Celtics came into the game knowing that this matchup would not be easy, despite all the experts picking them to win the series in 4-5 games. Orlando even led by one at halftime, 49-48, but Boston showed why they are the defending champions in the second half.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Celtics scored 24 points off the giveaways.
Boston only had 11 turnovers, and they turned into just 8 points for Orlando.
“We pushed our way back into the game with poise and fight. I liked our physicality to a degree,” said Magic coach Jamahl Mosley. “[I] did not like the 15 turnovers for 24 points. You’ve got to give yourself a chance there. So, our ability to take care of the basketball is going to be very key for us against them.”
The Magic just could not score enough points to keep up with the Celtics once the second half got underway, and it ended up being the difference in the game. Boston overpowered them with a barrage of 3-point shots.
Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 36 points and 11 rebounds. Franz Wagner added 23 points for Orlando, who have not advanced out of the first round of the playoffs since the 2009-10 season.
“We got a little stagnant on offense and that’s when they’re a really good defensive team,” Wagner said. “They got a couple easy 3s in transition. They want to shoot a lot of 3s and that’s when they’re go on big runs.”
Banchero hit his first three triples and posted 19 points in the first half to help the Magic regain the lead.
“It’s just the playoffs,” Banchero said. “Just a higher level of intensity, more stakes and I just try to be aggressive.”
The Celtics jumped out on a 24-9 run to open the third quarter, pulling away from the Magic. Orlando just could not keep up with the offensive firepower that the Celtics have on the roster.
Even with stars Tatum and Brown struggling to find their shot throughout the game, Boston found a way to win. This game showed the depth and overall strength of the Celtics and is a big reason why many see them as title favorites.
Veteran guard Jrue Holiday showed his value to this team, helping the Celtics jump ahead in the third quarter. Boston relies on Holiday heavily, and he showed up and showed out in this early playoff game, especially on the defensive end.
The Celtics now hold a 1-0 series lead over the Magic in the best-of-seven series. Game 2 will also be played in TD Garden, and is scheduled for Wednesday, giving the Celtics a great chance to take a commanding lead in the series.
