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The first round of the NBA playoffs is shifting locations, and the first of three Friday night matchups gives us Game 3 of a heated first-round series between the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic. It’s a battle of styles, storylines and intensity, as the defending champs look to continue their dominance despite missing a key star while the young Magic try to claw their way back into the series at home.
After two gritty, defense-first games in Boston, the series shifts to Orlando with the Celtics leading 2-0, but it’s far from over. Game 3 tips off tonight at 7 PM ET on ESPN from the Kia Center in Orlando – here’s what you need to know heading into the contest.
Game 1 on Easter Sunday was a defensive slugfest, and the Celtics set the tone early. Boston took a 103-86 win behind an impressive team defense and offensive balance. Derrick White led the charge with 30 points, Payton Pritchard added 19 off the bench, and Jayson Tatum anchored the effort with 14 rebounds.
The Celtics outpaced Orlando in nearly every key stat: more threes, more free throws, more assists, fewer turnovers and more points in the paint. The Magic got 59 combined points from Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but the lack of scoring support exposed Orlando’s 27th-ranked offense. Late in the game, Celtics’ star Jayson Tatum fell hard and injured his wrist on a flagrant foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Boston’s 109-100 Game 2 win was perhaps even more impressive, not just because it pushed their lead to 2-0, but because they did it without Jayson Tatum. The star forward sat out with a bone bruise to his right wrist suffered in the fall in Game 1 – the first playoff absence from Tatum after 114 consecutive playoff games with Boston, dating back to his rookie year in 2017.
Jaylen Brown stepped up massively, scoring 36 points on 12-of-19 shooting with 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Brown was everywhere, leading the charge on both ends of the floor. Kristaps Porzingis added 20 and 10, and Derrick White, Al Horford and Payton Pritchard contributed across the board.
Despite the absence of Tatum, the Celtics were dominant on the glass and got to the line 33 times. Boston hit five more threes, out-rebounded the Magic by 12, and made their physical presence felt. The Magic again got big numbers from Banchero and Wagner (combining for 57), but the rest of the team struggled to make a dent.
Physicality has started to define this series, with flagrant fouls in both games and a noticeable edge between the two squads. That favors the gritty, defensive-minded Magic, but the Celtics’ experience has won out.
Game 3 presents a few wild cards. With Tatum’s status still uncertain, the Magic might see this as their best chance to strike. They were 2-0 against Boston in Orlando during the regular season – though those games came with varying degrees of roster availability on both sides. In the December 23 win, the Celtics were without Tatum (and Brown scored 35), and Boston rested all their starters in the April 9 blowout. Still, the Magic should feel confident returning home.
Defensively, Orlando continues to show why they ranked second in the NBA in defensive rating, but the flaws are showing. While they’re great at limiting transition buckets, paint points and second-chance points, they allow too many quality three-point looks and foul too frequently. Boston leads the league in three-point attempts and percentage of points coming from beyond the arc and made 28 threes combined through Games 1 and 2. Orlando ranked 24th in free throws allowed this season, and the Celtics took full advantage, attempting 51 through the first two games.
What’s most concerning for Orlando is that they’ve gotten monster games from Banchero and Wagner in both contests and still lost. The Celtics are effectively shutting down everyone else. Expect the Magic to come out aggressive again, especially after the series’ physical start, but Boston’s balance and experience may prove too much even on the road.
Through two games, Banchero is averaging 34 points on 50% shooting with 46% from deep while taking 26 shots per night. The Celtics may be content letting him go off as long as they limit everyone else, and the Magic will need every bit of his production in a must-win game. After 32 and 36-point outings, 29 feels like a safe target for Orlando’s rising star.
Kevin has been writing about sports since 2015 with a primary focus on fantasy football. His work has been featured on outlets like Matthew Berry's Fantasy Life, FantasyPros, Sports Illustrated, RotoBaller, Fantasy Alarm, and numerous other fantasy websites. As a native New Yorker now living in the Midwest, Kevin counts the Green Bay Packers, New York Yankees and Syracuse Orange as his favorite teams.