The Celtics host the Orlando Magic for Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs. The Celtics won 103-86 on Sunday and is up 1 game to none in the best of 7 series. The Celtics were sluggish in the first half, especially on defense, and allowed the Magic to go into the half leading 49-48. They turned it around in the second half to win by 17.
The Magic won the first series between these two teams 3 games to 1 in the first round of the 1995 playoffs. Game 4 of that series was the final game the Celtics played in the old Boston Garden. Magic won that game 95-92 and they won the series. Their 2nd meeting in the playoffs was in 2009 where the Magic won the series 4-3, this time in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
This is the fourth time these two teams have met in the playoffs and the first time since 2010, when the Celtics won the Eastern Conference Finals 4-2. The Magic were 9-8 in the playoffs against the Celtics and are one of 3 teams to have a winning record against the Celtics in the playoffs. Charlotte and Brooklyn are the other two teams. With the win on Sunday, the Celtics and Magic are now tied at 9-9 all time in the playoffs.
This will be an interesting matchup as illustrated by several statistics. The Celtics average the 2nd fewest turnovers (11.9) while the Magic are 2nd with 16.2 forced turnovers per game. The first game went the Celtics way in this category. The Celtics had just 9 turnovers in the game while the Magic had 15.
The Celtics are first in fewest shooting fouls committed while the Magic draw the 2nd most shooting fouls per 100 possessions. The Celtics were called for 13 personal fouls for the game while the Magic were called for 17 personal fouls. However, the Magic played very physical and had a few very reckless plays, especially the one where Kentavious Caldwell-Pope took out Jayson Tatum, who injured his wrist on the play.
The most important statistic is 3 point shooting. The Celtics average 48.2 threes per game while the Magic limit teams to 31.4 attempted 3’s per game, fewest in the league. In Game 1, the Celtics attempted 37 threes, which is 11 under their season average. They made 18 of those. The Magic took just 27 threes and made just 10.
Much has been made of the Celtics health over the past week as we waited for the playoffs to start. Jaylen Brown missed the final 3 games of the season due to a bone bruise on his knee. He looked good in Game 1 and didn’t appear to be limited. Jrue Holiday has been playing with a black cast on his pinky finger due to mallet finger. He also looked really good in Game 1.
Jayson Tatum went into Game 1 healthy but thanks to a reckless play by the Magic as he went up for a dunk, he is listed as doubtful for this game and his final status will be a game time decision. He had an xray immediately after the game that was clear but an MRI later showed that he had a right distal radius bone bruise. The Celtics will miss his rebounding more than his scoring in this game. Hopefully the team will step up and crash the boards if Tatum misses the game. I’m guessing that Al Horford will get the start in his place.
The Magic have 2 players on the injury list but they have been out long term for them and both will miss the playoffs. Jalen Suggs has been out since March 4 after undergoing successful arthroscopic surgery to remove a cartilage fragment in his left knee. Moritz Wagner has been out since January 9 when he tore the ACL in his left knee. Other than these two, the Magic have a clear injury report.
Probable Celtics Starters
- Jrue Holiday Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
- Derrick White Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
- Jaylen Brown Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
- Al Horford Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
- Kristaps Porzingis Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Al Horford
C: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJordan WalshLuke KornetTorrey CraigSam HauserXavier Tillman, Sr
JD Davison
2 Way PlayersDrew Peterson
Miles Norris
Injuries/Out
Jayson Tatum (wrist) doubtful
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Probable Magic Starters
- Cory Joseph Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
- Franz Wagner Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
- Paolo Banchero Photo by Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images
- Wendell Carter, Jr Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
PG: Cory JosephSG: Kentavious Caldwell-PopeSF: Franz WagnerPF: Paolo Banchero
C: Wendell Carter, Jr
Magic ReservesCole AnthonyGoga BitadzeAnthony BlackTristan DaSilvaGary HarrisCaleb HoustanJett Howard
Jonathan Isaac
2-Way Players Mac McClungTrevelin Queen
Ethan Thompson
Injuries/OutMoritz Wagner (knee) out
Jalen Suggs (knee) out
Head Coach
Jamahl Mosley
Key Matchups
Al Horford vs Paolo Banchero
Banchero is averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game in the regular season. He shot 45.2% from the field and 32.0% from beyond the arc. In Game 1, he finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. He shot 51.9% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc. With Tatum doubtful for the game, I’m guessing that Horford will get the start. The Celtics need to try to defend him better in this one.
- Jaylen Brown Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
- Franz Wagner Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images
Jaylen Brown vs Franz Wagner
Wagner averaged 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game in the regular season. He shot 46.3% from the field and 29.5% from beyond the arc. In Game 1, he finished with 23 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. He shot 41.7% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc. He is very capable of having a big game and the Celtics need to defend him well.
Honorable Mention
Kristaps Porzingis vs Wendell Carter, Jr
Carter averaged 9.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game in the regular season. He shot 46% from the field and 23.4% from beyond the arc. In Game 1, he finished with 4 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 33.3% from the field and went 1-1 from beyond the arc. Porzingis struggled on offense in Game 1, scoring just 5 points on 12.5% shooting. He did grab 6 rebounds and grabbed 4 steals. He is due for a better game in this one.
Key Matchup off the Bench
Payton Pritchard vs Cole Anthony
Anthony seems to find a way to have big games against the Celtics. He averaged 9.4 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in the regular season. He shot 42.4% from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc. He played just 10 minutes in Game 1, finishing with 4 points and 3 assists. He scored 26 points in the play-in game against Atlanta and had 18 points with 5 threes in the Magic’s final regular season game against the Celtics. Hopefully 6th Man of the Year, Payton Pritchard, will have another big game in this one.
Keys to the Game
Defense – Defense is always the key to winning and even more so in the Playoffs. The Celtics are 3rd the playoffs with a defensive rating of 98.9. The Magic are 12th in the playoffs with a defensive rating of 118.4. The Celtics scored just 103 points in Game 1 but they held the Magic to just 86 points. The Magic have good defenders and so if the Celtics hope to beat them, they need match Orlando’s defensive intensity and to play tough lock down defense themselves.
Rebound – As Pat Riley once said, “No rebounds, no rings.” Much of rebounding is effort and hustle and if the Celtics put the extra effort into grabbing rebounds, it usually translates to the rest of their game. The Celtics out-rebounded the Magic 42-41 in Game 1. They need to work even harder on the boards in this one. The Celtics are 41-7 when tied or out-rebounding their opponents. The Celtics need to out-work the Magic on the boards if they want to win this game.
3 Point Shooting – In the regular season, the Celtics took the most 3’s per game while the Magic allowed the fewest 3’s per game. In the 3 games this season, the Magic held the Celtics to 11.3 fewer 3 point attempts than their average. In Game 1, the Celtics took 37 threes (43.2%) while the Magic took 27 threes (37%) The Celtics are tough to beat when they make their 3’s and they struggle when the 3’s aren’t falling. They have to find a way to neutralize the Magic’s tough 3 point defense and at the same time play tough defense against the Magic.
Don’t Be Overconfident – The Celtics won Game 1 handily, by 17 points. Last season, the Celtics won the first game against the Heat by 20 points and then dropped game 2 at home. The Celtics can’t afford to get overconfident and allow the Magic to gain confidence with a win in Game 2. Already, the Lakers, Knicks, Nuggets, and Rockets have dropped a game at home. The Celtics need to give 100% effort in this game and not rest on their laurels.
X-Factors
Home Game and Effort – The Celtics will be at home and will have the Garden crowd and that should give them a boost. The Magic will have all the distractions of playing on the road, a hostile crowd, and staying in a hotel away from family. The Celtics need to be ready for a team that plays very hard for 48 minutes and that defends very well. The Celtics need to match the Magic’s effort especially on the defensive end. Their effort was lacking in the first half of Game 1 but they made up for it the second half for the win. The Celtics have to play harder than the Magic for all 48 minutes to protect their home court and get a win against this motivated Magic team.
Injuries – Other than Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics were mostly healthy during last year’s playoffs. They came into Game 1 healthy with just minor questions about Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday. Both looked healthy in Game 1, which helped some of the anxiety about the team’s health. Then, in the 4th quarter, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope committed a reckless flagrant foul on Jayson Tatum as he went up for a dunk. An MRI showed a bone bruise on his wrist and so he is doubtful for this game. The Celtics will miss his playmaking and rebounding the most if he can’t play. The team needs to pick up the slack in those areas and work harder to make up for Tatum’s absence. The Celtics are 8-2 this season without Tatum, but the 2 losses were against Orlando.
Officiating – Officiating can always be an X-Factor. In some games, you don’t even notice the referees and in other games, they seem to make the game all about them. Some crews call the game tight and others let the teams play. Some crews favor one of the teams while others call it fairly. No matter how the game is called, the Celtics must adjust and not allow the officiating to take away from their focus.
Official Report
Crew Chief – James Williams
Williams called 4 games for the Celtics this season and they were 4-1 with him as a referee. He calls 50.8% of fouls against the home team. Home teams are 35-29 with him as an official. Last season, he called a game against Indiana where the Pacers were called for a foul when Jaylen Brown was hit on the head. Williams, as crew chief, overruled the call and the Pacers won 133-131. The last 2 second report showed that Williams was wrong to overturn the call. In an anonymous player survey last season, 3% named Williams as one of the best officials.
Referee – Ed Malloy
Malloy called 5 games for the Celtics this season, going 2-3. He calls 49.2% of fouls on the home team. His home win/loss record this season is 39-23. In that anonymous player survey, 3.4% of players named Malloy as one of the worst refs.
Umpire – Brent Barnaky
Barnaky called 7 games for the Celtics this season and they were 5-2 with him calling the game. He calls 50.6% of fouls on the home team. He is not a home friendly ref with a home win/loss record of 30-34. In last year’s player survey, Barnaky 3% of the players named Barnaky as one of the best refs.
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