Boston responds, Celtics take 3-1 series lead over Orlando

The Celtics are coming back to Boston with a 3-1 lead after a 107-98 victory over the Orlando Magic. After a dismal second half in Game 3, the Celtics played much better from start to finish, from big defensive plays from Al Horford to Jayson Tatum coming up clutch late in the game.

The Celtics are now one game away from advancing to the conference semifinals. Tatum finished with a game-high 37 points, 14 rebounds, and 14-of-14 at the free throw line to lead Boston.

Boston’s offense started 1-of-8 from the floor with Derrick White’s opening layup the only made basket in the first three minutes of the game.

The two-man game of White and Kristaps Porzingis started to come alive, as White fed the rolling Porzingis for consecutive dunks. However, midway through the quarter, Orlando had a 13-8 lead at the first timeout with 6:41 remaining.

Tatum’s pull-up three made it an 8-0 run with 4:34 remaining to tie the game at 18. The three was Boston’s first. Then on the next possession, after a Horford block, Sam Hauser finally connected on a corner three to give Boston the lead 21-18.

The three gave Hauser confidence as his next shot he pulled up from deep with no hesitation and drilled it again.

The Celtics took a 32-29 lead after the first quarter. Boston had a five-point lead after a Derrick White layup with five seconds left, but no one picked up Anthony Black who went coast to coast to beat the buzzer.

Boston shot 3-of-12 from three and 13-of-26 from the field in the quarter. Tatum led the C’s with 10 points and five rebounds. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 12 points (4-of-7 from the free-throw line).

The White and Porzingis connection continued to start the second quarter, this time Porzingis being the provider with a beautiful pass to White for the and-1.

Jaylen Brown struggled in the first half making just one of his first seven shots. However, Porzingis started 4-of-8 with 10 points before he drilled a big three to increase the lead to nine (42-33) with 7:45 left in the half and with Tatum on the bench. Before that three, Porzingis was 0-for-11 from deep in the series.

Despite the great start for Porzingis, he picked up his third foul and had to go to the bench after an offensive foul on Cory Joseph. Mazzulla challenged the call, but it was unsuccessful.

Orlando tied the game at 46 after a KCP three, Wagner layup, and Joseph three with under four minutes left. Then with 3:18 left, Banchero made a layup to take the lead for a 10-0 run. The momentum was with the Magic until they had a 4-on-1 and Derrick White got the stop leading to a Brown layup.

Tatum drilled a step-back three over Wendell Carter Jr. with 5.5 seconds left to give Boston a five-point lead at halftime, 53-48.

Boston shot 5-of-18 from three and 21-of-45 from the field in the half, while Orlando shot 5-of-15 behind the arc and 18-of-43 overall.

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Banchero had 18 points (6-of-17 shooting) and four rebounds to lead the Magic.

The chippiness of the series continued as the refs reviewed a potential flagrant on Wendell Carter Jr. three minutes into the second half. The teams got into each other’s faces, but after the review, the refs decided it was just a common foul sending White to the line with Boston leading by one.

With 6:53 left in the quarter, Boston held a 62-58 lead, all with Porzingis on the bench since Kornet started the second half with the Latvian having three fouls. Porzingis checked into the second half after the timeout.

After a struggling first half, Brown started to heat up in the quarter with six of his 14 coming in the first six minutes in the third. He also stepped up his defensive game, taking on the challenge of guarding Banchero.

Porzingis picked up his fourth foul on a Banchero drive with 2:57 remaining in the third, forcing Kornet to replace him.

Boston got in the bonus with 2:09 remaining after Brown was fouled after a defensive rebound. Brown made both free throws to make it a seven-point lead, 76-69. On the next possession, Tatum was fouled and he made both free throws for a nine-point lead to cap a 9-1 run.

Tatum’s jumper at the buzzer went in-and-out and Boston took a 79-75 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Celtics were aggressive to start the final 12 minutes of regulation as White connected with a three before Tatum got post-position on his man and hit the jumper to regain the seven-point lead 84-77.

Porzingis picked up his fifth foul with 8:58 left as Wagner drove straight into KP for an And-1 to cut Boston’s lead to two, 84-82 after the free throw.

The Magic called a timeout after an Al Horford offensive rebound which led to a layup from Derrick White with 6:21 remaining and a five-point Celtics lead (91-86).

Al Horford picked up his fourth block of the night after a big rejection which got the Celtics bench fired up.

The Magic tied the game after an offensive rebound and put back from Wendell Carter Jr. with 4:15 remaining.

Porzingis checked back into the game and immediately made a play at the rim with a dunk and foul by Banchero.

Tatum scored his 30th point on a post-up fadeaway on Banchero to give Boston a 98-92 lead with under three minutes. Then on the next possession, Tatum got Banchero to foul him while he was shooting a three-pointer with 2:19 remaining. Tatum connected on all three free throws to give them a 101-92 lead.

Al Horford came up big defensively late in the game picking up his fifth block and forcing a turnover. Then Payton Pritchard came up with an offensive rebound with a minute left which led to Tatum getting fouled. Then the refs gave out a double technical to KCP and Tatum before Tatum hit both free throws. The Magic delayed the inevitable by continuing to foul and Boston made their free throws to take a 3-1 lead back to Boston.