Question marks: can the Celtics close out the series?

Boston gained a pivotal Sport 4 on the street, placing themselves in place to complete issues off on the Backyard. Whereas they’ve a stranglehold on the sequence, Orlando isn’t going to faucet out.

When it comes to physicality, self-discipline and defensive connectivity, the Magic have been a worthy take a look at. They’ve restricted 3PT makes an attempt by staying house, and compelled the Celtics to win a unique means.

Boston leads the NBA in each post-ups and isolation possessions through the playoffs. Each playtypes have risen significantly in comparison with the common season, indicating Orlando’s stout protection and the Celtics’ skill to regulate.

It’s clear the Magic aren’t going to again down, so Boston must land the knockout punch. Listed below are a couple of query marks that may decide whether or not they’ll obtain that.

Can Kristaps Porzingis construct on the earlier efficiency?

Porzingis hasn’t had the kind of influence on this sequence that we’ve come to count on from the gifted massive man. He’s taking pictures 35% from the sector, and simply 14% from deep. Sport 2 was his highest scoring evening to date, however Sport 4 was the kind of efficiency he can construct off of.

Mazzulla and his workers simplified what they had been asking of Porzingis, and it labored fairly nicely.

Attacking early within the clock with an empty PnR permits Porzingis to roll into open house earlier than Caldwell-Pope can rotate in time. Getting out of screens faster and diving deeper towards the rim places lots of stress on the Magic protection.

Rim-running and hovering across the dunker spot is extra of a standard massive man function than he usually performs, however it helped Porzingis get into sufficient of a rhythm to knock down his first two 3’s of the sequence.

Porzingis has struggled at occasions with the dimensions and aggression of Orlando’s protection in one-on-one situations. Swapping out a couple of of the free throw line jumpers for paint touches appears like the simplest solution to enhance his effectivity and total effectiveness.

If he carries the identical method over to Sport 5, it’ll be tough for the Magic generate sufficient offense to hold round.

Will any of the Magic function gamers get going?

Up till this level, there haven’t been any memorable function participant video games for Orlando. Outdoors of Banchero and Wagner, no different participant is averaging over 10 PPG. They’ve contributors that may be counted on in several methods, however no person that’s been in a position to manufacture momentum as a shotmaker.

Previous to the sequence, Cole Anthony stood out as somebody that might present a scoring punch. As a substitute, he’s been rendered ineffective, and stapled to the bench. His protection isn’t one thing that may be hidden, and Jamahl Mosley rapidly understood they’d need to look elsewhere.

Anthony Black has had some moments in Anthony’s place, however the lack of an out of doors shot makes him much less threatening. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cory Joseph and Gary Harris are they adults within the room, however they haven’t been in a position to put the ball within the hoop both.

Banchero and Wagner get sufficient photographs as much as hold the video games attention-grabbing, however to have any actual hope at extending the sequence they’d want some surprising manufacturing from any member of the supporting forged.

Does Payton Pritchard bounce again at house?

Pritchard’s sequence has been like evening and day, relying on which metropolis the Celtics are taking part in in. Within the two video games in Boston, he’s scored 16.5 PPG whereas flattening 58.3% of his 3’s. In Orlando, he’s averaging 1.5 PPG and didn’t hit a single 3.

The Celtics might’ve used extra of a lift from the Sixth Man of the 12 months throughout their go to to Florida, however the Magic allowed him only a few clear seems. Pritchard leaves Orlando with simply 4 whole shot makes an attempt, and got here up empty within the scoring column throughout Sport 4.

Regardless of the struggles, he managed to maintain himself on the ground with good ball stress and level of assault protection. The 2 Magic stars spent lots of time attempting to isolate Pritchard, however he held up about as nicely us you would hope.

Again at house with an opportunity to advance to the subsequent spherical, it’s the right time for an enormous evening from Pritchard. He’s made numerous performs that ship the Backyard crowd right into a frensy, and that vitality might be sufficient to slam the door shut.

He’s clearly been a precedence within the Magic’s scouting report, however Boston has to seek out methods to get him concerned. His scoring skill is much too invaluable.