Franz Wagner scored 32 factors and Paolo Banchero added 29 because the Orlando Magic beat the Boston Celtics 95-93 on Friday evening to chop Boston’s result in 2-1 of their Japanese Convention first-round sequence.
Jayson Tatum returned to Boston’s beginning line-up after lacking Recreation 2 with a bruised wrist and led the Celtics with 36 factors and 9 rebounds.
The defending NBA champions had been sturdy away from residence this season, profitable 33 video games and shedding solely eight, however they’re now 0-3 in Orlando within the 2024-25 marketing campaign. The Magic will host Recreation 4 on Sunday.
The Celtics, who set a number of NBA information for three-point capturing throughout the common season, struggled badly from lengthy vary in Recreation 3. They made simply 9 of 27 three-pointers and went 17 minutes within the second half with out scoring from behind the arc.
The match was a tough and scrappy contest, with 43 fouls, a flagrant foul and 35 turnovers — together with 21 dedicated by Boston towards Orlando’s robust defence.
“I really feel prefer it fits our workforce, our taking part in type,” mentioned Wagner, who additionally had eight assists and 7 rebounds. “We’ve performed like that every one yr, and I really feel like whoever performs extra aggressively goes to win on this sequence.”
A flagrant foul was given towards Orlando’s Cole Anthony after a collision that brought on Boston’s Jaylen Brown to dislocate his left index finger.
“Possibly a battle will get away in Recreation 4,” mentioned Brown, who completed with 19 factors and 5 fouls. “If you wish to battle, we will try this and see who goes to the second spherical.”
Celtics huge man Kristaps Porzingis, who had seven factors and 4 fouls, mentioned Boston wanted to adapt: “Some fouls they name and a few they don’t. Now we have to just accept it. It’s very totally different from the common season.”
Boston fought again after scoring solely 11 factors within the third quarter. Derrick White’s layup tied the sport at 91-91 with simply over two minutes left. Wagner then scored back-to-back baskets to offer Orlando a 95-91 lead.
White responded with one other basket, however Wagner missed a three-pointer, giving Boston one final probability. Nonetheless, with solely 0.3 seconds left, White’s go in direction of the basket was knocked away as time ran out.
The Celtics had been additionally lacking Jrue Vacation, who sat out with a hamstring harm.
Tatum, who had been listed as uncertain earlier on Friday, began brightly, scoring 21 factors within the first half to assist Boston to a 10-point lead on the break.
He stretched the result in 11 early within the second half with a three-pointer, however Boston then missed 17 of their subsequent 19 pictures. They didn’t rating one other three-pointer till Al Horford made one with 6:20 left within the fourth quarter.
Wagner and Banchero mixed for 9 factors throughout a 14-0 run that helped the Magic take the lead, and so they completed the third quarter forward 86-74.
