Boston, MA — On a night when few gave the Orlando Magic a chance against the reigning NBA Champion Boston Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Magic came out swinging. Despite the odds, Orlando managed to challenge the champs in the first half on Sunday afternoon at TD Garden.
However, as the game wore on, Boston found its rhythm. The Celtics took control in the second half and ultimately pulled away for a 103-86 win in Game 1, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Orlando—one of the top defensive teams in the NBA—frustrated Boston early, coming back from a 12-point deficit to take a one-point lead in the second quarter. The Magic outscored the Celtics 31-22 in that quarter and managed to hold both Jayson Tatum (17 points) and Jaylen Brown (16 points) well below their season scoring averages in the game.
But the Magic had problems of their own.
Chief among them was a lack of balanced scoring. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner carried the load offensively, with little help from the rest of the roster. Banchero poured in 36 points, and Wagner added 23, but they were the only Magic players to score in double figures. The rest of the starting lineup failed to reach 10 points, and
Joseph was held scoreless.
Orlando’s bench offered minimal support. Only Jonathan Isaac scored more than five points off the bench, finishing with a modest seven—making him the team’s third-leading scorer.
Despite Orlando’s defensive effort, the Celtics made the necessary adjustments. With Tatum and Brown contained, Derrick White stepped up with 30 points, while Payton Pritchard delivered a critical spark off the bench with 19 points.
“That’s something as a team we harped on coming in—that they do have two main guys, but it’s really the other guys that kill you,” Banchero said postgame. “I think we just have to do a better job of getting those guys off the line because they really kill you from three. You do a good job on the main guys, but some of the role guys on the wings, they kill you. So, we have to do a better job taking them away.”
Boston struggled to crack the 100-point mark, but a dominant third quarter—where they outscored Orlando 30-19—effectively sealed the win.
Turnovers also hurt the Magic. Orlando committed 15, which led to 24 Celtics points. Fast break points were another sore spot, as Boston outpaced Orlando 26-4 in transition.
“It’s really important, especially against them,” said Franz Wagner regarding ball security and limiting transition opportunities. “They are a team that goes on big runs really fast. Pritchard and White, I think, had a lot of their threes open in transition.”
Boston’s defense was active, racking up 13 steals. Rebounding, however, was nearly even, with Boston holding a slight 42-41 edge.
Another area of concern for Orlando was their lack of free throw attempts. They shot just 11 on the night—well below their regular-season average of 23.0 attempts per game, which ranked seventh in the league.
Game 2 of the series is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m., once again in Boston.
“The goal is to try and get one on the road,” said Banchero. “Game 2, we have to come out with a higher level of focus and just do what we can to get a win on the road—because we’re not winning this series unless we do. So, that’s the goal.”
