The Boston Celtics are moving on. Abandoning their trademark three-point-heavy offense for a more disciplined, physical approach, the defending NBA champions overwhelmed the Orlando Magic 120-89 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first-round series Tuesday night. The win gave Boston a 4-1 series victory and sent them into the second round, where they’ll face either the New York Knicks or Detroit Pistons.
Jayson Tatum led the charge for the Celtics, putting together a commanding 35-point, 10-assist, 8-rebound performance. The All-NBA forward, who missed Game 2 with a wrist injury suffered in the opener, has now scored at least 35 points in three straight games. Tatum was ruthlessly efficient, going 10-for-16 from the field, 4-for-5 from three, and a perfect 11-for-11 from the free-throw line. He hasn’t missed a free throw since Game 1.
Boston, which set an NBA record in the regular season for most three-pointers made, didn’t make a single shot from beyond the arc in the first half — a first for the team since 2021. They attempted just six threes in the opening two quarters and went into the locker room trailing by four. Tatum broke the drought with a triple early in the third quarter, but it took another seven minutes before he connected again from deep.
“We just took what the defense gave us,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We weren’t hunting threes. We were hunting good basketball.”
The turning point came midway through the third. Orlando still led 51-47 when Magic forward Paolo Banchero picked up his fourth personal foul. Less than 90 seconds later, he was whistled for his fifth — a controversial call that left head coach Jamahl Mosley furious and demanding a review. Replays confirmed Banchero had stepped into Jaylen Brown’s shooting motion, and he was benched for the remainder of the quarter.
The Celtics seized the moment. Boston outscored Orlando 31-9 over the next stretch to open up an 83-62 lead by the end of the third. Brown finished with 23 points, and Derrick White added 16 in the win.
“We smelled blood when Banchero sat down,” Brown said. “That’s when we flipped the switch.”
The Magic, who haven’t won a playoff series since their 2010 run to the Eastern Conference Finals, were led by Franz Wagner with 25 points. Banchero had 19, and Wendell Carter Jr. posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. But Orlando couldn’t keep pace with Boston’s physicality and depth — especially once their All-Star forward was glued to the bench.
With the win, the Celtics now await the outcome of the Knicks-Pistons series. New York leads 3-2 despite falling 106-103 earlier Tuesday night.
“We’re not satisfied,” Tatum said. “This was just step one.”
