The Celtics regulars looked sluggish in their preseason opener and that changed in a hurry on Orlando on Friday night. Even with Kemba Walker (sore knee) getting the night off, the starting five pushed the Celtics out to a 21-2 run in Orlando and didn't look back, helping the C's cruise to their second straight preseason win. Jayson Tatum had a team-high 15 points while Marcus Smart (4-of-6 3-point range, 14 points) and Jaylen Brown (11 points, 7 rebounds) all looked sharp in limited minutes as Boston led by 20-plus points for virtually all four frames after holding the Magic to just 11 points in the first quarter.
Daniel Theis earned his first start at center and helped settle the C's defense down with his rebounding (nine) and rim protection (one block). Romeo Langford (2 points, 3 rebounds in 11 minutes) also made his rookie debut after missing the opener with a groin injury.
The Celtics are back in action on Sunday afternoon at the Garden as they host the Cavs.
WHO: Celtics vs. Magic
WHEN: 7:00 EST
WHERE: Amway Arena
TV: NBC Sports Boston
Projected Starting Lineups:
Celtics
PG: Marcus Smart
SG: Jaylen Brown
F: Jayson Tatum
F: Gordon Hayward
C: Daniel Theis
Magic:
PG: DJ Augustin
SG: Evan Fournier
SF: Jonathan Isaac
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Mo Bamba
Pregame Notes
- Kemba Walker is out with a sore knee. It does not sound like a major issue as Brad Stevens expects him to practice tomorrow.
- Daniel Theis will get the start even though all four centers are healthy. Stevens plans on working through the bodies 'like hockey subs' to do some mixing and matching with the lineup.
- The C's big men will avoid a big test on the front line as Nikola Vucevic will sit out with a sprained ankle for Orlando.