Jayson Tatum of the Celtics shares a positive perspective on his team's physical altercation with the Magic in the opening round.
Well, well, well, another first-round victory for the Boston Celtics! This time, they knocked out the Orlando Magic in five hard-fought games, marking their eighth time advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the last nine seasons. But don't let the easygoing stats fool you, the Green Team had their work cut out for them.
Star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum spilled the beans post-Game 5, "It was probably exactly what we needed. Good test, first round - couple guys really banged up and dealing with some things, but showing that mental toughness of getting up and getting ready for each game."
The Magic gave the Celtics all they could handle, especially in the early goings. In Game 1, the seventh-seeded Magic led at halftime before fading away in the second half. Though their final matchup in Game 5 was a blowout, the series wasn't a walk in the park.
In the first half of the clinching win, the Celtics, known for their lights-out 3-point shooting, could hardly hit a lick from beyond the arc. Nada. Zip. Zero makes from beyond the arc. Unheard of, given their usual 3-point dominance. In fact, their last time going a whole half without scoring a 3-pointer was back in October of 2024, just before rookie coach Joe Mazzulla took the reins.
The Magic proved to be the team to shut down the Celtics' 3-point attack, also exuding a physicality that the Green Team was not accustomed to. As a result, they had to readjust their approach.
"They just kind of forced us to play a little differently," Tatum admitted.
Adjusting is nothing new for the C's, who spent much of the regular season without their starting five and adjusting their approach based on lineup absences. In the Orlando series, they faced missing starters as well, with Tatum sitting out Game 2 with a wrist injury and starting guard Jrue Holiday missing the final three games due to a hamstring issue.
The Celtics embodied their signature do-whatever-it-takes attitude, highlighting that the formula for winning constantly fluctuates, as no game looks the same.
"Doing whatever it takes, whatever the game calls for, and just figuring out a way to win. That's all that matters this time of the year."
Finding their Rhythm: Celtics' Game-Changing Strategy
In the second half, Celtics standout Jaylen Brown got creative to bypass the team's 3-point woes by driving to the basket, creating opportunities at the line, and keeping Magic star Paolo Banchero in foul trouble.
With Banchero guarding him and 9:46 left in the third quarter, Brown drove inside for a layup that would turn the tide. The MVP got the bucket and the foul following some contact, tying the game at 53, causing Banchero to throw his hands up in frustration.
Banchero's foul trouble, coupled with the Celtics' increased success on drives to the basket, opened the floodgates. Over the course of the remaining 24 minutes, Boston outscored Orlando 67-36, with much of the momentum coming from their increased attacks on the rim and rediscovering their usual long-range accuracy.
Brown and Tatum combined for 34 points in that final stretch, with the latter also notching four triples in the third quarter. They also outscored the Magic 48-36 in the paint, ultimately helping the Celtics secure a commanding 35-point victory, the largest margin of victory in a playoff game for a team that trailed at halftime.
"We can win a quarter, a game, a series, in different ways," Tatum stated. "And we showed that this series."
As they finished off the Magic in 2025, the Celtics set their sights on their next opponents, the New York Knicks or Detroit Pistons, and prepared for their next challenge. They'd figure out the formula to win - whatever it takes.
"As a group, we've been through it all, and we showed it and proved it this series," Tatum said. "Looking forward to the next one."
- The Orlando Magic presented a formidable challenge for the Boston Celtics, especially in the first half of their games, but the Celtics adapted and sheds their 3-point woes by focusing on drives to the basket.
- Star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, in particular, stepped up in the crucial moments, combining for 34 points in the final stretch and outscoring the Magic 48-36 in the paint.
- The physicality of the Magic was a new factor for the Celtics to contend with, but they readjusted their approach and showed mental toughness in overcoming their injuries and advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
- With the victory over the Magic, the Boston Celtics set their sights on their next opponents, ready to embrace whatever challenges and formulas for winning come their way in the NBA playoffs.
