BSJ Game Report: Celtics 128, Magic 111 - Most impressive win of the season

Everything you need to know about the Celtics win over the Magic, with BSJ insight and analysis

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics got off to a slow start and fell behind by seven as Orlando cashed in on easy buckets while Boston’s ball movement came up empty. But that didn’t last too long as Payton Pritchard started hitting 3-pointers and Jaylen Brown started dunking on everyone. Boston’s 13 point halftime lead nearly doubled in the third as 3-pointers started to fall. They kept it rolling into the fourth as they piled up 31 assists to rip the Magic to shreds. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

- Focus: All the excuses were built into this game: Back-to-back, third game in four nights, multiple rotation guys out. The Celtics didn’t give in to a single one of them. 

“I think it starts with the leadership of Derrick (White), Jrue (Holiday), Jayson (Tatum) and Jaylen,” Joe Mazzulla said. “It starts with them and their approach to the game. And then I think it's a real testament of Sam (Hauser), Payton, and (Neemias Queta), Oshae (Brissett), Svi (Mykhailiuk), and Lamar (Stevens), guys that just work at it every day being excited for the opportunity that they have. And to me, it affirms our system, it affirms the daily work they put in, and then it affirms the character of the locker room.”

- Passing: This will be tackled separately, but man I loved the passing in this game. They had 31 assists on 48 makes and let me tell you there could have been a whole lot more of each. The potential assists will be through the roof. 

- Everyone steps up: They went 10 deep in this game and everyone made some kind of contribution (well, except for Mykhailiuk. Sorry Svi). Guys love to throw around “next man up mentality” when their team is shorthanded, but dammit if this wasn’t one of those nights. 

TURNING POINT

This is a twofold thing tonight. The game turned in the first quarter and they put it away in the third.

The real turning point of this game came when Pritchard checked in in the first quarter and scored nine points over about six minutes on three 3-pointers. He was the only guy hitting from deep, and it was huge to see some of the shots fall for a Boston team that was playing well and getting almost nothing out of it. He checked in at 15-9 Orlando, and his final 3 of the quarter made it 30-24 Boston … a 21-9 run. 

They basically ended Orlando’s night when White had eight points of an 11-2 run that made it a 19-point game. Orlando never made it close after that.

THINGS I LIKED

The buzzsaw: The Celtics just steadily marched their way to a bigger and bigger lead. You can’t tell me they weren’t sick of the Orlando narrative. 

“I think this is the biggest game of the year so far,” Brown said. “In my opinion, for us, I think one, we had a bunch of guys out, on a back-to-back versus a team that's been kicking our ass the last four or five times we played. I think this was the biggest game to me so far.”

They played like it. They never let Orlando get back up. This was a lion bringing down a gazelle. It was everything you want to see in that situation. 

Derrick White: What else can I say about this guy at this point? He had a team-high eight assists, he shot nearly 43% from 3, he had four steals … he did everything. As usual. 

Jaylen Brown: He was 0-5 from 3 and I didn’t even notice. He was 8-10 from everywhere else, including even more ridiculous highlights. 

Add four more assists to his total as well. He’s in a groove. 

“I'm really locked in on both sides of the ball,” he said. “I'm really feeling comfortable and I feel like I'm excelling, making plays at the rim, taking the ball from people, and I'm doing my job and more on the defensive side.”

Jayson Tatum: 30 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Tatum did his thing though he struggled from 3 a bit and has weirdly struggled from the line … at least for him. 

But honestly, this was my favorite play from Tatum: 

via GIPHY

First of all, it’s running off a made basket. Tommy Heinsohn is cracking a celebratory Miller Lite in heaven for that play. 

Secondly, Tatum quickly surveys the floor and he reaches his arm back like “c’mon, I see something.” He does that cross step like an outfielder making a relay to home plate and fires a bullet to Holiday. 

Now the Magic go from comfortably jogging back to “oh crap they're already running something.” Holiday gets penetration because of it. The quick swing sends Cole Anthony into overreaction mode. Pritchard gets past him and to the rim for the finish. 

All of it because Tatum pushed the pace with that strong kick-ahead. That, my friends, is beautiful, winning basketball, and it’s because Tatum did something that will never show up in the box score.

Sam Hauser: He has grown so much as a player. Yes, he hit shots, but he had four assists (all to Pritchard), four steals, and seven rebounds. Don’t look now, but he’s going to get some mentions in the “most improved” conversation. 

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

The most impressive win of the season: Maybe I bought into all of the “Orlando has Boston’s number” stuff before the game … and who could blame me? But the Celtics didn’t cave to the absences, fatigue, or the cold start, they just found a way to make bucket after bucket after bucket. 

No one played with an agenda. No one gave in to any of the pregame narratives. They came out focused on moving the ball and even though it didn’t immediately pan out, they kept on doing it until it did. 

Maybe in the past they would have just gone off on individual forays and guys would have tried winning the game on their own. In this game, they stuck to their principles and slowly built a giant lead. 

They could have laid down and I don’t think anyone would have blinked. Third game in four nights against a big team that has played them well? Eh, it happens. They were bound to lose at home at some point, right? 

Not tonight, Satan. 

This was a complete game from start to finish, on the back-to-back and third game in four nights. This was full attention paid to all the necessary details and execution. I’m not surprised that they beat Orlando because the Celtics are a damn good team. 

But I am surprised that this was as thorough a dismissal of the Magic as it was. This was a professional dismantling. This was easily Boston’s most impressive win of the season.

Next up: The Celtics and Magic do it again Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.