The Boston Celtics opened the defense of their championship with a statement, pulling away from the Orlando Magic in the second half for a 103–86 victory in Game 1 at TD Garden. Derrick White led all scorers with 30 points, including 7-of-12 shooting from deep, and Jrue Holiday sparked a third-quarter run that flipped the game’s momentum.
Despite a sluggish first half and trailing by one at the break, the Celtics outscored the Magic 30-18 in the third quarter, holding Orlando without a field goal for over seven minutes. Jayson Tatum added 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner Payton Pritchard chipped in 18 points off the bench to help Boston maintain control down the stretch.
Tatum’s Wrist Injury Nothing Major — for Now
While the win was a positive, there was a moment of concern in the second half when Jayson Tatum took a hard fall after being fouled on a drive to the basket. Tatum appeared to land awkwardly on his right wrist and immediately clutched at it while grimacing in pain. The incident drew a flagrant foul on Orlando’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Postgame, Tatum downplayed the injury, telling reporters, “I just landed on it,” Tatum said. “It was throbbing for a second. It just kinda went away.” X-rays were negative, and the team is not listing him on the injury report ahead of Game 2.
Tatum has been a model of durability in the modern NBA. He’s appeared in at least 72 games for the Celtics in each of the past four seasons. His right wrist seems to have escaped serious damage, though it will be something to monitor as the playoffs progress.
Brown Playing Through Knee Discomfort
Jaylen Brown’s health has also been a subplot entering the postseason. The All-Star wing has been managing a bone bruise in his right knee since February and reportedly received pain-killing injections to help him suit up for Game 1. When asked about the injury postgame, Brown told reporters, “I’m not here to talk about my knee, guys. It is what it is. I’m focused on Orlando.”
Despite his discomfort, Brown played 30 minutes, contributing 16 points, five rebounds, and some solid defense. His performance looked sharp overall, but the Celtics are clearly managing his workload carefully. Head coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed Brown had no restrictions going into Game 1, although it’s clear that the team will continue to monitor him closely throughout the series.
“He looks good,” Mazzulla said. “He’s right where he wants to be. He’s right where we need him to be. And we’re gonna continue to rely on him.”
Game 2 Outlook: Stay the Course
The Celtics are in a familiar position after winning Game 1 at home and aim to keep home-court advantage intact. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night in Boston. The team will get a valuable rest day on Monday and a chance to reassess health statuses on Tuesday during practice.
Tatum and Brown are both expected to be available. The Magic, meanwhile, will be searching for offensive answers after shooting just 34% from the field and 6-of-32 from three in Game 1.
If Boston can continue to dominate defensively and get better shooting nights from their stars, the Celtics will be in a strong position to head to Orlando up 2–0.
