(Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)
Final: Celtics 114, Magic 97 - Jaylen Brown leads dominant fourth quarter
BOSTON CELTICS vs. ORLANDO MAGIC
3:00 p.m., NBC Sports Boston
Line: Boston -8.5
INJURIES
Boston: Luke Kornet (OUT, adductor)
Orlando: Markelle Fultz (OUT, knee), Wendell Carter, Jr. (OUT, hand), Joe Ingles (GAME TIME DECISION, ankle)
LAST TIME
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.
THINGS I’M LOOKING FOR
1. Adjustments: These second games of home/home back-to-backs are always great opportunities to simulate playoff matchups. What are the Celtics going to do differently from Friday night?
2. Going big: One thing they're doing differently just by default is going much bigger with Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford back. The speed advantage really worked for Boston in the first game, so they should still try to play fast, but that will look different with the bigs back.
3. Keep the ball moving: The Celtics had 31 assists and 46 potential assists on Friday night (Jrue Holiday had 10 potential assists but just three actual assists). I would love to see that become the norm.
Follow along with my thoughts as the game goes on. They’ll show up below and in the comments section, so hop in and share your opinion as well.
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