The Boston Celtics dominated the Orlando Magic in their first-round series, winning 120-89 and clinching the series 4-1. The win gives the Celtics a much-needed break before facing their next opponent.
Coach Joe Mazzulla said that while the extra rest is good for his team, it’s also a double-edged sword. “We’ll exit the arena for a couple of days,” he said. “That could be good. But I think as we start to get ready for the next series we have to reenter the arena and get ready.”
The Celtics were physical throughout the series, with stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum taking on the Magic’s defense in one-on-one matchups. The duo was unstoppable, with Tatum scoring 35 points and Brown contributing 28 points.
For Brown, the extra rest is a blessing. “It’s great,” he said. “I’ll take advantage of it and be ready to go through whoever’s next.”
The Celtics know that their next opponent remains undecided, but they’re confident in their ability to perform under pressure. Tatum, who has been playing with carefree abandon all season, believes that his experience from last year’s championship run will serve him well.
“I’ve just enjoyed this season of playing carefree basketball and not having that hang over my head,” he said. “It allows me to focus on the task ahead.”
The Celtics are now one step closer to defending their title, but they know that there’s still work to be done. They’ll need to bring their A-game if they’re going to take down their next opponent and make a deep run in the playoffs.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nba-playoffs-after-a-bruising-series-vs-orlando-boston-emerges-sharper-and-with-time-to-heal-065753653.html