With their All-Star forward Jayson Tatum sidelined for the first time in his playoff career, the Boston Celtics faced Game 2 of their first-round Eastern Conference series against the Orlando Magic with a major question: who would step up?
Jaylen Brown delivered the answer—loud and clear. Brown erupted for 36 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, leading the Celtics to a gritty 109-100 victory over the Magic at TD Garden on Wednesday night. The win gives Boston a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 3 set for Friday in Orlando.
“I told Coach I had him,” Brown said postgame, referencing a conversation with head coach Joe Mazzulla when it became clear that Tatum would sit due to a bone bruise in his right wrist. “And I meant it.”
Tatum’s injury—sustained in Game 1 following a hard fall after a flagrant foul by Orlando’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope—forced Boston to lean more heavily on its depth and star power. Brown didn’t hesitate to embrace the challenge, and neither did his teammates.
Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and provided one of the game’s most dramatic moments. Late in the third quarter, Porzingis was elbowed in the head by Goga Bitadze, suffering a deep gash that sent him to the locker room. The play was reviewed and upgraded to a flagrant foul. Porzingis returned moments later, blood-streaked and bandaged, to a standing ovation as he calmly sank one of his two free throws before exiting again.
Boston’s collective effort was key. The Celtics hit 12 three-pointers and went 25-for-33 from the free-throw line. Derrick White chipped in 17 points, including several crucial buckets in the fourth quarter. Brown and White combined for 17 of Boston’s 28 points in the final period to fend off a late Orlando run.
Tempers flared throughout the contest, particularly surrounding Caldwell-Pope. The veteran guard was booed relentlessly by the Boston crowd every time he touched the ball in the aftermath of his Game 1 foul on Tatum. He also found himself tangled with Al Horford late in the second quarter, resulting in both players hitting the floor and Brown exchanging heated words with him. Officials deemed it a common foul.
Despite the controversy and Orlando’s fight, the Magic couldn’t overcome Boston’s resilience. Paolo Banchero led the way for Orlando with 32 points and nine rebounds, while Franz Wagner scored 25. But the Magic couldn’t quite close the gap after trailing by as many as 15 in the second half.
As for Tatum, he watched the game in street clothes from the end of the bench, supporting his team from the sideline. His status remains day to day, according to Mazzulla.
Game 3 in Orlando will be pivotal. The Celtics, with or without Tatum, have already shown they’re capable of withstanding adversity—and Brown, in particular, looks ready to lead the charge.
