Everything you need to know about the Magic beating the Celtics 116-108 with BSJ insight and analysis
Box Score
HEADLINES
Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart suffer injuries in meaningless loss: Brad Stevens planned on playing his starters regular minutes in what was a relatively meaningless game for seeding purposes and that move came back to bite him in the 116-108 defeat. Jayson Tatum was pulled after six minutes due to a shin contusion, an injury that was suffered before the game but was not relayed to the training staff according to Stevens. Minutes later, Marcus Smart suffered an oblique bruise after a collision with Nikola Vucevic. Smart tried to stay in the game but was pulled seconds later after talking his way back onto the floor. While neither injury looks overly serious, it does present the possibility that both players may not be at 100 percent in time for the start of the postseason next week.
Jaylen Brown looks sharp in return: The reserve guard was back on the floor after a three-game absence due to back spasms and showed no signs of the injury in an encouraging 13 point effort (5-of-8 FG). Kyrie Irving (23 points) led five different Celtics in double figures in the defeat, that included strong nights by Gordon Hayward (16 points) and Al Horford (18 points) once again. Orlando’s offense still had their way against Boston’s bench in the second half, scoring 68 points and holding off a late Celtics rally to clinch a playoff berth for themselves. Horford and Baynes had their minutes reduced in the second half for rest purposes but it was not an encouraging defensive effort for Boston.
Celtics officially locked into No. 4 seed: The likely scenario became official following a Pacers loss to the Nets and a loss by the Celtics to the Magic. Boston will open up their first-round series on Sunday at the TD Garden against the Pacers in what will be the third matchup between the two teams in the past couple of weeks.
TURNING POINT
After the Celtics came back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game up at 106 with just under six minutes remaining, the Magic responded with a 6-0 run to take command once again with 47 seconds remaining. The late push ensured the Magic would clinch their first playoff berth in six seasons.
TWO UP
Horford: The veteran big man finished with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting in just 25 minutes. He is now averaging 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists in his last eight games and is shooting 58 percent from the field over that stretch.
Hayward: The swingman has now scored 10-plus points in a season-high eight straight games dating back to March 24. He is averaging 16.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in that run while shooting 58.5 percent from the field.
TWO DOWN
Brad Wanamaker: The Celtics were outscored by 12 points in his brief second-half stint as he struggled to keep up with the speedy Magic backcourt. In a rare opportunity for him to get meaningful minutes with the regulars, he did not take advantage.
Terry Rozier: One of the more reliable ballhandlers on the team coughed up a team-high four turnovers as he pressed a little bit too much at points in the second half and the Magic made him pay for those miscues, scoring 22 points off of 14 Boston turnovers.
TOP PLAY
He's baaaaack! pic.twitter.com/wbbpJ9PkEi
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 7, 2019
