BSJ Game Report: Celtics 107, Magic 98 - Tatum fuels late run to push Orlando to the brink

ORLANDO -- Everything you need to know about the Celtics' win over Orlando in Game 4 of their opening-round series, with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics' offense got back on track with 32 first-quarter points, but the defense was less than spectacular allowing 29. Boston built a lead as high as nine in the second, lost it in a furious Magic run, but built it back to five by halftime. The third period was an ugly slog that took forever, featured 12 fouls, some chippy play, and Orlando winning it by a point to go into the fourth down four. They tied the game with 4:18 to go, but Jayson Tatum and Al Horford helped put the game away. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

- Another tough win: The Celtics have had a brutal time all series long. This game was no different, with Boston struggling to create shots, getting into tussles with the Magic, and having to rely on their stars to get anything. The Magic make it tough, and the Celtics certainly oblige with some of their decisions, but no matter what the reason, separation has been impossible in this series. 

- Tatum’s takeover: He outscored the Magic 9-7 over the four minutes that followed Orlando tying the game (Franz Wagner’s meaningless layup with :21 to go ruined a great stat). He got to the line seven times to put Orlando away.  

- Close-out game at home: The Celtics now return home for a late game on Tuesday, an 8:30 p.m. tip, to put the Magic away. 

“Orlando's a really good team. They coach well, they're physical, defensively they've been great in this series,” Jaylen Brown said. “So it's not over. We got to close 'em out because we don't want to come back here.”

No one does, Jaylen. And with the Knicks taking a 3-1 lead, closing this out at home Tuesday night is extra important to make sure they don’t have any advantages of extra rest. 

TURNING POINT 

Kristaps Porzingis botching a layup actually worked in Boston’s favor, giving the Celtics a 3-point play as part of a 9-1 run to finally take control of the game late in the fourth.

“I think that put back he got when the game was tied, he missed the layup from the pass from JT, got the rebound and dunked it, and they called the foul and-one. I think that's when the game started to shift in the fourth quarter,” Brown said. “From there, we were able to give ourselves like a little bit of a cushion. But that was a huge play.”

The Celtics outscored Orlando 16-7 over the final 4:18.

THINGS I LIKED

- Jayson Tatum: It was by no means a perfect game from him, but 37 points, 16 in the fourth quarter, and 14 rebounds was a monster night when the Celtics needed a monster night from someone. 

“I’ve played 115 some-odd playoff games so I've been here before, I've been in these moments,” Tatum said. “Just stay composed and don't get distracted by outside things or whatever. Just try to make the right read, focus on the next play, stay level-headed and, just do what you can, to help your team be in a position to get a win.”

- Al Horford: Five blocked shots and he had his fingerprints all over that final 4:18. One of his blocked shots came on what looked to be a sure bucket for Orlando that would have cut it to three earlier in the game. 

“I can't say it enough. Al is unbelievable,” Tatum said. “Big moments, the game is tied, four minutes left and just making plays the entire night on both ends of the floor. 38 years old, he's picking up full court doing whatever is asked of him, and that just kind of sets the tone for everybody else. He got the heart of a champion.”

Al Horford became the second player in NBA history to record five blocks in a playoff game at age 38+. The other is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

- Derrick White: I’m actually a little surprised by his stat line: 18 points on 7-11 fg (2-6 3pt), seven rebounds, seven assists, one block, and one turnover. So much of this game was focused on Tatum and Brown that I think White’s performance flew under the radar. 

THINGS I … WELL, IT’S COMPLICATED

- Kristaps Porzingis: His numbers look good: 19 points on 50% shooting, 2-4 from 3, five rebounds, a steal, an assist, and just one turnover. 

He also had five fouls, he missed some bunnies, and he struggled to hit some signature shots. I think he continues to struggle with the physical nature of this series and he seems a bit timid on defense. 

“I want to do well and sometimes you rush a couple things maybe here and there but I think it’s just a little bit like, honestly, it’s a little bit of an adjustment too from the regular season how it’s officiated until now,” he said after the game. “So it also takes a little bit of an adjustment time, especially for me because a lot of times guards are able to get away with more stuff in the paint. And that’s what I’ve been experiencing.”

He did things to help Boston win, but he also could have done things to make it easier. 

- Jaylen Brown: Same applies to Brown, who had some confounding turnovers. The more he dribbles out a possession, the more I find myself muttering under my breath “give it up … just give someone else the ball.” 

“I could be better. I will be better in my spots,” Brown said. “I didn't feel like I was aggressive as I needed to be, but they're just forcing us to make plays one on one, trying to bait us into that.”

But like Porzingis, it’s hard to argue with the final numbers. A 21-point, 11-rebound night is pretty damn good. The Magic are forcing Tatum and Brown to do a lot and it’s not always going well for them. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- Slow play: My dear GOD that third quarter was an ugly mess. I was begging them to run, to start possessions earlier, and yet they continued to be very deliberate with the ball. I thought the offense started out great, with set plays that got cutters going to the hoop, pick-and-rolls that got Porzingis early dunks, and some decent ball-movement that made the Celtics look somewhat … normal. 

Then that third quarter happened and they were forced all the way back into the mud. Credit Orlando for dragging them there, but also demerits to Boston for not fighting a little more to avoid it. 

- The bench: Sam Hauser finally hit a couple of 3-pointers, which was nice, but that was it for the bench. In fact, no one on the bench even took a shot in the second half. The entire second-half stat line for Hauser, Payton Pritchard, and Luke Kornet in the second half was 0 points on 0-0 shooting, one rebound, one assist, one block, and one foul. 

“I think it just emphasizes those times when guys are open, you gotta make sure you find them,” Tatum said. “They got a game plan, they got some good defenders. You can obviously see they're trying to not help as much. We still gotta find ways to get some movement, so I can create for other guys, especially like our guys, our shooters off the bench.”

HIGHLIGHTS

ONE TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- The Magic game plan is perfect. 

I’ve been on the Magic bandwagon for a little while now and I was never really thrilled about playing them. However, I didn’t think they’d be able to make this series this tough. 

Jamahl Mosley has his team playing great and they're doing almost literally everything they can to make this a brutal series for Boston. It got to the point where I allowed myself to fear the worst in the fourth quarter, wondering if the Magic were going to find a way to knock Boston out early. 

If they had ANY supporting offensive help, even a distributor who can set other players up, they would have a chance to win this series. The Magic might lose on Tuesday night, but that's only because they're not fully whole and they weren’t built for this kind of success just yet. 

I’m incredibly impressed with the level of execution … and yes that includes all the fouling and physical play. You can get mad at that if you want, but if the situation was reversed, you’d be loving it. In 10 years when the next version of the Celtics is scraping into the playoff and trying to slingshot Goliath, you’ll be cheering how well they're getting under everyone’s skin. 

The Celtics need to get this one at home on Tuesday because they need to escape this series. They need the Knicks to win so they can get back to picking on weak defenders and breaking games open. 

Next up: Game 5 is Tuesday night at 8:30 at TD Garden