The Orlando Magic are looking for more secondary scoring on Wednesday as they visit the Boston Celtics for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference’s first round playoff series.
Despite 36 points from Paolo Bancello and 23 points from Franz Wagner, Orlando dropped series opener 103-86 in Boston on Sunday. No other magic players scored more than seven points.
Three other Orlando starters combined for 10 points. Point guard Cory Joseph finished with scoreless, with center Wendell Carter Jr. finishing with four points and Kentavia Scaldwell Pope finishing with six.
“The ability to see when we get rebounds or turn them over requires us to make sure we convert,” Orlando coach Jammer Mosley said. “You need to get a simple basket when you have a high level of defensiveness.”
The magic held Jason Tatum to 17 points and Jalen Brown to 16, but the Boston supporter cast provided plenty of offenses. Derrick White was 7-7 from the territory with 3 points, thrown at 30 points, with Payton Pritchard coming out of the bench and 19.
“It’s as a team we’ve come in. They have two main guys, but that’s the other guys who really kill you,” Banchelo said. “We think they really kill you from the three, so they have to do a better job than kick them out of the line. … You do a good job on the main guy, but part of the role in the wings, they kill you.
Boston chased 49-48 at halftime, but surpassed Orlando 30-18 in third and 25-19 in fourth.
“Looking back, that momentum shift in the third quarter was huge,” Mosley said. “We were intentional and intentional in part of our defensive communication, and (we) had some calamities, which reached their spark.
“We’re not sitting against a set switching defense because we have to push that ball up to the floor faster.”
Brown scored 10 of his 16 points in the third quarter. Jrue Holiday added nine points in the third quarter after failing to score in the first half.
“I think in the first half something magical controlled the intensity level of the game,” Brown said. “They were more physical than we were and changed that later on.”
The Celtics were instantly scared that Tatum drove into the basket early in the fourth quarter and was fouled violently by Caldwell Pope. Tatum landed awkwardly on his right wrist, staying on the floor with obvious discomfort, but remained in the game.
Tatum said his x-rays were back negative and he felt good after the game.
“I just landed on it,” he said. “It was throbbing for a moment, then sort of left.”
Following Game 2, the Top 7 Series will shift to Orlando for Game 3 (Friday) and Game 4 (Sunday).
“The goal is to try it out (on the road),” Banchelo said. “Game 2 we’ve announced a higher level of focus and we have to do what we can to win on the road, as we won’t win this series unless we do that. So that’s the goal.”
– Field-level media
