Three Studs, Three Duds From Celtics Storming Past Magic In Game 1

Many expected the Orlando Magic to give the Boston Celtics a slight scare in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

The Magic did just that in the first half of Game 1 on Sunday afternoon at TD Garden but then the Celtics seized control over the final 24 minutes to run away with a 103-86 win.

The third quarter was the difference for the Celtics as they trailed by one (49-48) at halftime. But Boston responded, showing their superiority over the Magic to outscore them, 30-18, in the frame. The Celtics rode that momentum into the fourth quarter to maintain their advantage and take a 1-0 series lead.

Here are three studs, three duds from the Celtics beginning their playoff run with a win:

STUDS
Derrick White
White did some Easter cooking and carried the offensive load for the Celtics. White poured in a team-high 30 points on 10-for-18 shooting, and really hurt the Magic from behind the arc where he knocked down 7-of-12 attempts. White got the job done on the other end, too, recording two blocks and a steal. It just feels like White knows how to take it to another level in the playoffs.

Payton Pritchard
Pritchard not only gave the Celtics a spark off the bench in the first half, he also helped deliver the knockout blow. Pritchard netted eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to put away the Magic. The likely NBA Sixth Man of the Year shot 6-for-8 from the field and hit 4-of-6 3-pointers for a very strong playoff performance.

Paolo Banchero
Banchero came as advertised as the Magic’s go-to player. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward exploded for a game-high 36 points on 14-for-27 shooting as he tried to carry Orlando’s underwhelming offense. Banchero made sure it was a double-double performance by grabbing 11 rebounds and he also dished out four assists.

DUDS
Jayson Tatum
Tatum turned in an offensive clunker as the Celtics star appeared thrown off by Orlando’s physical play. Tatum shot just 8-for-22 from the field and 1-for-8 from 3-point range to finish with 17 points. Tatum’s poor shooting also carried over to the free-throw line where he missed all attempts from the charity stripe. Tatum, who did grab 14 rebounds and had an injury scare early in the fourth quarter when he landed awkwardly on his wrist following a drive to the basket, had a couple of ugly shots that clanged hard off the backboard. The performance for the six-time All-Star will drum up thoughts for Celtics fans about Tatum’s struggles during last year’s postseason.

Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis’s strong defensive showing — he tallied four steals and a block — wasn’t enough to offset his inability to be a legitimate factor on the other end of the floor. The 7-foot-2 center shot just 1-for-8 from the field to score five points.

Cory Joseph
Joseph started for Orlando, played 26 minutes and ended up performing a Magic trick — he basically was invisible on the court. Joseph missed the only shot he took, dished out two assists and committed five fouls in an abysmal showing. The Magic are going to need more than just Banchero and Franz Wagner to step up to even have a shot against the Celtics.