Celtics Wrap: Boston Overcomes Key Absences To Defeat Magic

The Boston Celtics kept their NBA-leading undefeated homecourt run alive, defeating the Orlando Magic, 128-111, at TD Garden on Friday night.

With the win, the Celtics improved to 19-5 while the Magic fell to 16-8.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Boston, while vertically challenged due to the front court absences of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet, overcame the disadvantage.

How? The Celtics didn’t succumb to the poor habits that have dragged them at multiple points early on, maintaining a consistent multi-quarter stretch of clean basketball. More specifically, that meant limiting turnovers — Boston committed 11 to Orlando’s 21 — and rising to the occasion in the third quarter — Boston scored 37 points to Orlando’s 27.

Depth was an obvious challenge yet Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla had the luxury of leaning to reserve unit guard Payton Pritchard. In 28 minutes off the bench, Pritchard led the backup crew with 21 points. The C’s were supplied with 47 bench points, marking the second-highest total this season.

In the second half, Boston fled off with the lead and didn’t look back, watching the Magic fail at clawing back into the game.

The Celtics knew what they wouldn’t be able to do — getting out-rebounded 45-34 — but still grinded, shooting an efficient 52.2% showing from the field while snagging 14 steals. Orlando, at points, looked stunned and thrown off by Boston’s physicality, which also helped make up for the undermanned front court.

Boston has still defended its parquet floor better than anyone else in the NBA, a perfect 13-0 as the leader of the Eastern Conference.

Orlando’s four-game winning streak versus the Celtics also reached its end.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 30 points, six rebounds and four assists.

— Derrick White got busy on both ends of the floor, scoring 19 points and knocking down a trio of 3-pointers while also recording four rebounds and four steals.

— Orlando’s Jalen Suggs, despite suffering a left wrist injury in the first half, still played to lead the Magic with 19 points.

WAGER WATCH
FanDuel Sportsbook set the odds of White notching six-plus assists at +150. Mr. Efficiency himself cleared those odds with ease, finishing with eight. A $100 wager on White would’ve netted a $250 total payout.

UP NEXT
The Celtics, winners of four straight, will square off against the Magic again on Sunday. Tip-off from TD Garden is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.