The defending champion Boston Celtics closed out Game 4 of its first-round playoff series with the Orlando Magic on 16-7 run, turning what was a tie ballgame with less than five minutes to play into a healthy win.
Boston’s 107-98 victory was its first in Orlando since 2022, and gives the Celtics a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven. The teams will meet for Game 5 on Tuesday night in Boston.
‘Experience Showed’
“Their experience showed,” Orlando forward Paolo Banchero said of the Celtics. “They weren’t rattled at all. They were making big plays on both ends. They were really sharp over the last four minutes.”
The win was a welcomed response from a Boston team that dropped Game 3 in uncharacteristic fashion despite the return of Jayson Tatum from a wrist injury suffered earlier in the series. The Celtics were plagued by 19 turnovers in that contest as compared to the 10 turnovers coughed up Sunday.
Boston’s Jayson Tatum had no trouble finding his offense despite playing with a bone bruise in his right wrist.
Tatum, Brown Come Up Big
Offensively, Tatum once again provided the bulk of his team’s scoring, finishing with a game-high 37 points to complement his 14 rebounds and three steals. The six-time All-Star appeared to get up slowly on several instances after breaking his fall with his ailing right wrist, but played a game-high 42 minutes nonetheless.
Boston also benefited from the continued strong play of Jaylen Brown, who has also been battling an injury in the form of a bone bruise in his right knee. Brown finished with 21 points Sunday, pulled down 11 boards, and tallied two steals.
“This was a big win on the road in a tough, physical environment against a team that’s been eager to take us out,” Brown told reporters after the game. “It’s not over. We’ve got to close it out because we don’t want to come back here.”
Jaylen Brown added 21 points for Boston in its Game 4 victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night.
Porzingis Fuels Celtics
Perhaps the most notable performance Sunday was that of Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis who had been struggling offensively so far in the series. After scoring in double figures in just one of Boston’s previous three games, the 7-foot, 4-inch Latvian found something in Orlando, scoring 19 points and providing relentless rim protection on the other end of the court.
“I thought he was great tonight,” Mazzulla said or Porzingis. “I thought he set the tone for us in our half-court offense with his screening and his rolling, and just his ability to make 2-on-1s better for us. And we managed it the way we managed it. He did a great job when he was in.”
Derrick White added 16 points for the Celtics to complement his seven rebounds and seven assists, followed by Al Horford with six points, six rebounds and five blocked shots. Banchero led Orlando scorers with 31 points and seven rebounds, while Franz Wagner (21 points, seven assists, six rebounds) also played well for the Magic.
End Of My Celtics Rant
As the series heads back to Boston’s TD Garden for Game 5, it’s difficult to envision a scenario where the Magic can muster anything more up than they already have. Orlando was able to manage one win in front of their home crowd, but the Celtics — even without the riches of starting point guard Jrue Holiday who has been out with a hamstring injury — have proven just too deep.
Not to mention, as Banchero so eloquently pointed out, there’s the experience factor.
