BSJ Game Report: Celtics 109, Magic 100 - Porzingis bleeds, Brown dominates, C's take 2-0 lead

Everything you need to know about the Celtics' win over Orlando in Game 2 of their opening-round series, with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

The first quarter was a physical slog, which played right into Orlando’s hands. Boston shot 5-19 but hit 10-11 from the line and still managed a 23-21 lead by the buzzer. The Celtics got it going early in the first, defending well and running to build an 11-point lead, but Orlando got most of it back to go into the half down three. Jaylen Brown was nearly perfect on his way to a huge third quarter that pushed the lead to 14 at one point but the Magic kept coming, getting it down to five early in the fourth. Derrick White hit a couple of big 3s and Brown made clutch buckets to hold on. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

- Ugly, grind-out win: The Celtics haven't been able to fully impose their will for very long in these games, so they’ve had to do this Orlando’s way. There were 42 official personal fouls called in the game, but I’m willing to bet there were twice as many actually committed. It’s not how Boston prefers to play, but it’s impressive that they're able to win this way.

“You've got to be able to win games in different ways,” Joe Mazzulla said. “So I thought our guys did a good job of just making winning plays throughout the game and doing whatever it took.”

- Jaylen Brown shines: According to Dick Lipe, Brown is the only Celtic ever with 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists while shooting 63% from the floor. 

“He was leading us today on both ends,” Kristaps Porzingis said. “That’s what we expect from him. And he’s at the same time managing this stuff that he has. There’s no challenge big enough for him. Like, he can do whatever.”

- KP bloodied again: He took a wicked elbow from Goga Bitadze and he once again left the game bloodied. And once again, he soaked it all up. 

“I love my WWE moments for sure,” Porzingis said after the game. “You know me, I always love engaging with the crowd. And I already knew, like getting hit again, blood again, the crowd was gonna just go with it. So it was cool. It was fun.”

TURNING POINT 

Orlando had gotten the lead down to 84-79, but Boston went on a 12-5 run to get the lead back up to 12. The Celtics didn’t exactly pull away after that, but it gave them enough of a pad where the Magic also never truly threatened again. 

THINGS I LIKED

- Jaylen Brown: He’s the big story of this game, so his night will be addressed separately, but I think the most impressive part of his night was the 10 rebounds. While I’m here …

- Rebounding: … I was afraid that Boston’s rebounding would suffer without Tatum, who is Boston’s leader in the category. But the Celtics held Orlando to just seven offensive rebounds, and three C’s had 10 rebounds (Brown, Porzingis, and Al Horford) for the first time in five years. Horford’s rebound over Wendell Carter was a grown man’s board. 

That's the definition of wanting it more. 

- Jrue Holiday: He finished with 11 points, six assists, and four rebounds but the man plays impactful minutes. His defense is most of what gets the job done, but he has stepped up his offense a little too. This dunk caught a lot of us by surprise. 

He got up easy on that one. That was nice. 

- Derrick White: You know why. 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists but it’s more his knack for hitting the big shots that earns him this praise. He only shot 3-10 from deep, but all three of those made shots gave Boston a double-digit lead at the time. 

- Kristaps Porzingis getting up: No need for Mazzulla to yell for him to get up off the floor. Jokes aside, that elbow looked really nasty. I was afraid that he would have a concussion after that shot, but the damage was mostly superficial. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- All the fouling: Call and uncalled, the fouls were a bit much. I love playoff basketball and I’m down for some physical play, but there's a difference between good physical play and just flat-out fouling and testing the limits of what will get called. Flat-out pushes in the back isn’t physical play. That's just pushing someone. 

- Playing too slow: This game was definitely played mostly at Orlando’s pace. I think part of the problem was a few stretches of flat out defensive lapses that led to easy layups, which let the Magic set their defense. Everything is intertwined, so those defensive mistakes mean the Magic can set their defense and things start to look ugly. 

“We got to find ways to improve the efficiency of our offense a little bit,” Mazzulla said. “I think we'll look at that and see which ways we can get better at 10 or 15 possessions where we had some wasted possessions.”

- Porzingis struggling with physicality: Porzingis had a good overall game and the fouls he drew got him the points he couldn't score from the field. 

“(I) rushed maybe a few shots,” he admitted after the game.  I still feel like I have a much higher level to play offensively especially. I missed a lot. I missed even free throws, I missed a lot of stuff. So I expect myself to be a lot better offensively. … First game was not ideal, maybe a bit too passive in some moments also. So just staying aggressive and finding my rhythm.”

- Sam Hauser: He absolutely has to hit the few shots he’s getting to be effective. He’s not strong enough to make a defensive impact in this series. 

HIGHLIGHTS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- This is just how this series will go. 

For all of my “the Celtics need to play faster,” stuff, the evidence is pretty stark at this point. Aside from a few stretches where the Celtics pull it off and build a lead, every game they’ve played against Orlando is a table, ladders, and chairs match. 

If any wrestling fans have ever watched Cactus Jack vs. Terry Funk, then you’ve watched the Celtics-Magic in the playoffs. There's no getting around it.

I still think it’s possible the Celtics can figure out a button to press, or the Magic can just implode enough to fuel an extended Celtics run, but it’s more wishful thinking than anything. People will get hit, they’ll bleed, and every win will have to be earned the hard way.

- Kristaps Porzingis freakin’ loves the show.

There are two people who loved a bloodied Porzingis walking off the floor. Porzingis and his wrestling mentality (bet you didn’t expect all this wrestling talk, did ya?) and Mazzulla. 

“I like watching him bleed on the court,” Mazzulla said. “I think it's important, and then he comes back in and does his job. So I do like that about him.”

Of course he went back in. 

“Honestly, how can I not?” he said. “ Like, ‘Oh, I have five stitches, I can’t play anymore.’ My legs work, everything works, so of course I’m going to be out there. And you know me. I like these moments. Coming back out again, getting a little love from the crowd. It just happens within the game and this is not going to stop me. So I’m going to keep going.”

His arm could be ripped off his body and he’d pick it up, wave it to the crowd, and soak up the adulation. No one loves these moments more than Porzingis. Mazzulla is a close second, though. 

Next up: Game 3 is Friday night at 7 in Orlando.