BOSTON, Mass. — The Orlando Magic have had two days without a game in Boston to watch film and prepare for Game 2 of the teams' first-round Eastern Conference playoff series on Wednesday night, and players and coaches agree that the Magic will have to play faster without turning over the basketball if they want to get a win.
Boston leads best-of-seven-game series 1-0 after its 103-86 victory on Sunday.
What You Need To Know
- Game 2 of the Magic's first-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Celtics is Wednesday night
- Boston leads the best-of-seven-game series 1-0 after its victory Sunday
- Orlando has spent the two-day break between games to work on ways to move the ball more efficiently
- Celtics All-Star forward Jason Tatum's status for Game 2 has been listed as doubtful because of a bone bruise in his right wrist
"We've got to push that ball up the floor a lot faster so we're not sitting down playing against a set, switching defense," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.
"When that ball either goes through the hoop or we get a defensive rebound, we've got to look to push early. And I think once we can put pressure on the defense that way, we've got to look for the play after the play and not let it stall out, when the switching becomes an issue."
Facing Boston's tough defense, Magic All-Star Paolo Banchero scored 36 points on 14-for-27 shooting and pulled down 11 rebounds, and star forward Franz Wagner had 23 points for a total of 59 of Orlando's 86 points. The rest of the Magic scored just 27 points.
Orlando managed just four fast-break points, while Boston raced up court for 26 points. The Celtics, led by guard Jrue Holiday, forced the Magic into 15 turnovers and converted them into 24 points, while Boston turned over the ball 11 times, but Orlando did not capitalize and scored just eight points on those turnovers.
"We can't get into the lull of a half-court game with them," Magic forward Jonathan Isaac said. "We've got to get up and down and get the ball out, and that will give us more opportunities to move the ball and get into transition. Against their set defense in the half-court, they're tough just like us."
The Magic's defense did most of what the team wanted, except for some mistakes that sparked Boston's third-quarter surge.
All-Star forward Jason Tatum shot 8-for-22 for just 17 points, and his running mate, All-Star forward Jaylen Brown, went 6-for-14 for 16 points for a total of 33 points. They are unlikely to do that again.
Their teammates made up the difference and more. Guard Derrick White shook free for 30 points, including 7-for-12 from behind the 3-point line, and guard Jrue Holiday went 3-for-6 for nine points. Off the bench, Payton Pritchard, who was announced as the NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Tuesday, came off the bench to shoot 6-for-8, including 3-for-4 from behind the 3-point arc, for 19 points.
"They're a really good team, and especially in the second half, they took advantage of our mistakes," Wagner said. "Obviously, we're not going to play a perfect game, but we just need to make fewer mistakes in general."
Orlando held Boston to 103 points, 13.3 below its regular-season average, and limited the Celtics to 37 3-point attempts, but they could not score enough to get the victory.
Tatum has been listed as doubtful for Wednesday's game on the official NBA injury report with a bone bruise in his right wrist. With Boston leading 89-73 with 8 minutes, 28 seconds remaining, Tatum went up for a dunk and was hit hard by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as he tried to block it. Tatum landed awkwardly on his right side. He stayed down briefly before eventually rising to his feet, clenching his right hand. After a video review by referees, Caldwell-Pope’s foul was upgraded to a flagrant foul. Tatum subsequently missed the two ensuing free throws but remained in the game. Tatum said a postgame X-ray came back clean.
Asked about Tatum’s status after the Celtics practiced Tuesday morning, coach Joe Mazzulla said the All-Star was limited, and day-to-day.
“He was able to do some stuff,” Mazzulla said. “He was sore after the game, has gotten a little bit better today. He was able to go through some on-court work, and we’ll go from there.”
The Magic players said they recognize that the series opener was only Game 1 but know they can and must play better.
"You understand what you're capable of doing," Mosley said. "And then being able to control the controllable, like turnovers."
Game 2 tips off at 7 p.m., in Boston again before the series moves to Orlando on Friday night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.