Jayson Tatum scores 32 as Celtics beat Orlando Magic 108-97
Jayson Tatum scored 32 points, including 15 from the free-throw line, and Paul George added 17 as the Boston Celtics secured a 108-97 victory against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, according to rds.ca.
The game featured a brief scare for Boston when Tatum exited the floor near the end of the first quarter following an accidental collision where the back of his head struck the front of Orlando player Jamal Cain’s head. Bleeding from the cut, Tatum headed to the locker room before returning with 6:13 remaining in the second quarter.
Boston improved to a 5-1 record, while Orlando dropped to 2-4 overall and remains winless at 0-3 at home. Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva each scored 23 points for the Magic, and Franz Wagner recorded 14 points along with a career-high 12 assists. The Celtics played without Paolo Banchero, who missed his fourth game due to an ankle sprain.
The Celtics built a 15-point lead by holding Orlando scoreless for the first four minutes of the second half. Orlando responded when da Silva hit three of his five three-pointers, sparking a 12-point run that narrowed the gap to 77-74 entering the fourth quarter. Black tied the game 79-79 early in the final frame after stealing the ball from Paul George, but Wagner missed a subsequent lay-up that would have put Orlando ahead.
Boston’s defense tightened down the stretch. Neemias Queta contributed two key defensive plays in the final two minutes, and Paul George sank a three-pointer with 1:32 left on the clock to push the Celtics’ lead to 11 points. Tatum consistently countered Orlando’s rallies, converting 15 of his 17 free-throw attempts in a game where the entire Orlando team earned only 19 free-throw opportunities.
Off the bench, Luka Garza scored 12 points and Baylor Scheierman added 10 for Boston, maintaining the team’s standing as a league leader in bench scoring.
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