Jayson Tatum delivered a statement performance in Boston, pouring in 35 points to lift the Celtics past the Orlando Magic 120-89 and into the Eastern Conference semifinals, putting an emphatic end to a series that tested their mettle.
For a team built around three-point firepower, the Celtics found an unlikely way to dominate without making a single three in the first half. And yet, it only took one from Tatum early in the third to blow the game wide open.
Boston trailed by five before Paolo Banchero picked up two quick fouls, sending him to the bench. The shift was seismic. The Celtics seized control, rattling off a 31-9 run that broke the game and Orlando’s resistance wide open.
Tatum, back to full strength after missing Game 2 with a wrist injury, was unstoppable. He made all 11 of his free throws and hit four of five from deep, silencing any questions about his form. Jaylen Brown added 23, and together the All-Star duo combined for 58 points.
Meanwhile, the Magic crumbled under pressure. After holding Boston to six three-point attempts in the first half, they allowed five makes in the third quarter alone. Their own offense unraveled, managing just 6-of-22 from the field and 0-of-11 from beyond the arc in the period.
Banchero finished with 19 points but couldn’t rescue Orlando after his pivotal fifth foul. Franz Wagner led the Magic with 25, but it was far from enough to extend the series. Their playoff drought continues, not having won a series since 2010.
For Boston, the win signals intent. They now await the winner of the Knicks-Pistons series and look every bit the contender they were billed to be. After a shaky start, the Celtics flipped the switch and the Magic never recovered.
