The Boston Celtics can reach the next step in their quest to repeat as NBA champions with a chance to wrap up their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the visiting Orlando Magic in Game 5 on Tuesday night.
After Boston won the first two games of the best-of-seven series at home, the team’s split two games in Orlando. The Celtics took a 3-1 series lead with a 107-98 victory in Game 4 on Sunday.
“They’re going to come out aggressive to try to close this series and try to get some rest, I guess,” Orlando’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said. “Other than that, for us, we’re coming out (with) desperation. We need to win this game just to push to a Game 6. So we’re looking forward to it.”
Game 4 was tied 91-91 before Boston went on a 10-1 run and scored 16 of the game’s final 23 points.
“This was a big win on the road in a tough physical environment against a team that has been playing well, and a team that has been eager to take us out,” Boston’s Jaylen Brown said. “… We’ll get our rest, and we’ll rally the troops and get back to it back in Boston on our home floor.
The series had been noted for the Magic’s physical play that the Celtics seemed to look at as a challenge.
“We had to get more physical,” Brown said. “Just taking care of the boards, taking care of the trenches, taking care of the little plays like that, the physicality, not fouling for unnecessary reasons and just playing basketball. I still think we can be better, but way to close the game out. And that was a fun one.”
Free-throw shooting was a factor after Boston was 30 of 32 from the line in Game 4. Six of those free throws came late when Orlando was trying to foul. Jayson Tatum made each of his 14 free-throw attempts and Brown was 9 of 10 from the line. Orlando made 14 of its 20 free throws.
“Understandably, we talk about physical play and that’s the way in which we play,” Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said. “You talk about the back-and-forth battle, and I always look at our ability to attack the rim. … Them shooting, let’s just say, 26 free throws before the back stretch. You look at those margins and they’re very similar attacks, but it’s not the same foul count. Whether that’s the physicality part of it or not, it’s just something we look at.”
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have provided most of the Magic offense in the series. Both players scored at least 23 points in each of the first four games. Banchero has at least 31 points in three of the four contests.
“It’s do-or-die,” Wagner said. “It’s a great opportunity for us. We are going to get on that plane and have the right mentality coming into Boston and make sure we get Game 5.”
If the Magic win, the series would return to Orlando for Game 6 on Thursday. Orlando has won three of its four home games against Boston this season.
“It’s not over,” Brown said. “We’ve gotta close them out because we don’t want to come back here.”
–Field Level Media
