The Boston Celtics waltzed into the Kia Center in Orlando with the intention of bringing the brooms out. With Jayson Tatum back in the lineup after sitting out Game 2 due to a wrist injury and all the momentum on Boston’s side after two commanding wins at home, the reigning champions had every reason to feel confident heading into Game 3.
But the Orlando Magic is not so easily defeated.
In a gritty, defensive slugfest that came down to the final seconds, Orlando edged out Boston with a 95-93 victory on its home court, cutting Boston’s series lead to 2-1.
Kristaps Porziņģis talks about Orlando’s physicality
Much of the postgame attention has centered on the sheer physicality of Orlando’s play style. Kristaps Porziņģis, bloodied in Game 2 from an elbow to the head, had very clear attitudes toward the Magic’s roughness in his postgame comments.
“Borderline fouling. That’s what it is, you know. Borderline fouling and fouling. And some of it, they call it, of course, and some of it they don’t,” said Porziņģis. “And that’s how it’s going to be. We have to accept that reality and also we can use that. It’s not that there’s only one way, it’s both ways.”
Kristaps Porzingis on Orlando mucking up the game:
“Borderline fouling. That’s what this, you know, borderline fouling and fouling. Some of it, they call it, of course, and some of it they don’t. And that’s how it’s going to be. We have to accept the reality.”
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Porziņģis made it clear that Boston was forced to adjust to a more brutal style of basketball — one that didn’t necessarily adhere to the rule handbook. But he knows that physicality on the court is a two-way street.
“For sure, we get away with some stuff that they’re scratching their heads [about]. It’s just how the game is right now,” said Porziņģis. “It is a pretty big difference, you know, from regular season. You have to make that adjustment as a player and not expect anything. Just go out there and play through contact.”
Orlando’s Valiant Efforts Overwhelm the Celtics
Orlando’s physical disruption was evident throughout Game 3. The Celtics committed 21 turnovers — their second-most in a game this season — and made just nine three-pointers, an unusually low number for a team that has lived and died by the three this season.
The impact of the physicality was probably most obvious on Porziņģis, who finished Game 3 with just 7 points on 3-of-10 shooting and went 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, the Magic’s stars more than rose to the occasion. Franz Wagner dropped 32 points and Paolo Banchero added 29, proving that Orlando does not go down that easily.
While Tatum’s return did provide a boost for the Celtics as he recorded 36 points and seemed to be in no visible discomfort from his wrist injury, it was not enough to drag the Celtics across the finish line.
Even the most casual basketball viewers can tell you: 2-1 is very different territory from 3-0. The Boston Celtics will enter more perilous territory if the Magic manage a similar performance in Game 4. For Porziņģis and the rest of the Celtics, the path forward will simply mean adapting and adjusting, no matter how physical it gets.