The Boston Celtics will find themselves balancing the short- and long-term effects of going all-out for a series sweep when they attempt to get a third straight win over the Orlando Magic on Friday night as the Eastern Conference first-round series moves to Florida.
The Celtics logged relatively easy 103-86 and 109-100 home wins to open the best-of-seven series, despite entering with Jaylen Brown limping on a sore right knee and Jayson Tatum sitting out in Game 2 with a bruised right wrist.
Boston’s superior depth has led the way in the 2-0 start. Derrick White scored 30 points in Game 1, Kristaps Porzingis had 20 in Game 2 and recently crowned Sixth Man Award winner Payton Pritchard has almost single-handedly outscored all Magic reserves in the series, falling short by just a 34-33 count.
The teams have just one day off leading into Game 3, which brings into question how Brown’s knee will respond to him having played 42 minutes during Game 2 in a leading role.
Tatum, for his part, was listed as doubtful for Friday after the pain in his wrist prevented him from even warming up Wednesday night. Jrue Holiday was added to the Celtics’ injury report, questionable with a right hamstring strain.
Brown says he’s ready for another 36-point, 10-rebound effort if needed in Orlando.
“Obviously, JT is the offensive leader of our team. We all kind of play off of him,” Brown said. “But any given night, I could rise to the occasion. I just do what the team needs me to do. I’ve taken that mentality.”
Brown and Tatum were outscored 59-33 by Magic co-stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner in last Sunday’s series opener, and Brown and Porzingis were edged 57-56 by the Orlando duo in the rematch.
But the other three Celtics starters in those games have chipped in with a total of 81 points, while the Magic supporting cast has gone for just 36.
Orlando has more problems than limited production from players outside of their main options. The team has been outscored 84-51 on 3-pointers, given up 51 free throws while taking just 35, and has been outrebounded 88-75.
Banchero hopes the home court, where the Magic beat the Celtics twice in the regular season after a 27-point shellacking in the only Boston contest, can flip some of those numbers.
“You’ve just got to keep fighting, man,” Banchero said. “It’s two games down. They did what they’re supposed to do: beat us twice on their home floor. Now we’ve got to go protect our home floor. Simple as that.”
The Magic are familiar with 0-2 playoff holes. They dropped two straight at Cleveland by double-figure amounts to open last year’s postseason before rebounding with two blowout wins at home. That series featured seven straight wins by the home team.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley would like to see a few more calls go his team’s way at home.
“I’m not one to complain,” Mosley said after watching the Celtics get to the foul line 33 times in Game 2, “but there’s a reality that all of our starters had two fouls at one point quickly and there was a time when it was 16-2 in the free-throw count (in Boston’s favor).”
Game 4 of the series at Orlando is set for Sunday.
–Field Level Media
