It took one recreation for the Boston Celtics to face a brand new type of adversity within the 2025 NBA Playoffs. After struggling a wrist damage on a tough foul in Sport 1 of their first spherical playoff sequence in opposition to the Orlando Magic, Jayson Tatum was dominated out for Sport 2 of the sequence on Wednesday night time with a bone bruise in his taking pictures wrist. Absent their franchise participant, the Celtics discovered themselves in one other (typically literal) slugfest, however superior to 2-0 within the first spherical sequence with a 109-100 win.
In Tatum’s stead, Jaylen Brown had an enormous night time, scoring 36 factors, grabbing 10 rebounds, dishing 5 assists and connecting on 5 of his seven three-point makes an attempt. Kristaps Porzingis added 20 factors and took middle stage on some second half theatrics, whereas Derrick White and Payton Pritchard mixed for 31. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner mixed for 55 factors, however exterior of Wendell Carter Jr’s 16, few different gamers made an influence for the Magic.
Within the early minutes, Brown assumed the mantle of Batman for this Celtics’ offense, scoring seven factors to steer the staff within the early stretch of the sport. Regardless of his scorching begin, although, this recreation hewed to Orlando’s preferences when it comes to tone. The primary quarter was a bodily, defensive showdown, with gamers hitting the ground on a number of possessions. Regardless of taking pictures simply 26% from the sector, nonetheless, the Celtics asserted themselves on the offensive glass (4 OREBs) and the free throw line (9-of-10), and took a two-point lead into the second quarter, 23-21.
After a fiery media cycle within the aftermath of Tatum’s damage, phrases had been exchanged by Al Horford and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope within the following days relating to the intent of the play. These tensions carried over to Sport 2, and flared within the second quarter, when Horford and Caldwell-Pope appeared to get tied up and hit the ground. Horford arose rapidly and appeared to take subject with Caldwell-Pope’s actions, and Brown stepped in and exchanged a couple of heated phrases with Caldwell-Pope earlier than the alternate was damaged up. The play got here underneath replay evaluation, however was in the end dominated a standard foul on Caldwell-Pope.
In any other case, the Celtics by no means fairly pulled the sport out of Orlando’s consolation zone within the second quarter. Their offense discovered a bit extra of a rhythm, however the Magic continued to hold round behind favorable tempo and well timed defensive performs. The Celtics led by as many as eight factors, however in the end took only a three-point benefit into the halftime break, 50-47.
Boston opened the third quarter on a heater, discovering their stroke from three-point vary for the primary time this night and kicking off the second half with an 11-2 run that featured back-to-back threes from Brown. Orlando initially responded with a mini-run of their very own, forcing Mazzulla to name timeout after a 3 from Banchero close to the midpoint of the quarter, however because the quarter wore on, the sport more and more tilted within the Celtics’ favor. They began to interrupt by the Magic’s protection and get to the rim with authority, pulling forward by as many as 15 factors.
Late within the third quarter, the Celtics suffered one other damage by the hands of Orlando’s much-vaunted physicality. Orlando middle Goga Bitadze flailed his limbs on a rebound try and swung his elbow into the brow of Porzingis, who went down bleeding profusely. Porzingis left the courtroom briefly, solely to return with a (comically giant) bandage on his brow and a (comically giant) smile on his face, taking pictures the following flagrant free throws earlier than returning to the locker room for additional remedy. The Celtics took an 81-71 lead into the ultimate quarter of regulation.
Porzingis remained absent as the sport entered the fourth quarter, however after about 5 minutes of largely impartial basketball, he returned the Celtics’ bench sporting one other (notably smaller) brow bandage. He returned to the courtroom with simply over seven minutes remaining in regulation, with the Celtics hanging onto an eight-point lead.
Porzingis performed the remained of the sport, but it surely was a largely ceremonial affair, because the Magic by no means fairly gave the impression to be a lot of a risk to reclaim the lead. The lead held round 10 to 12 factors for a lot of the quarter, and with slightly below three minutes to play, Pritchard completed an assertive layup and drew a foul for the chance for a three-point play. Pritchard missed the freebie, but it surely felt just like the play that took the air out of the room for Orlando.
Subsequent up, the Celtics will look to increase their sequence result in 3-0 on the street in Orlando, going through the Magic for Sport 3 this Friday on ESPN.
