Blood, bruises, and battle-tested grit defined Wednesday night in the NBA playoffs, as the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers fended off fierce challenges to seize 2-0 leads in their respective first-round series.
Celtics 109, Magic 100:
Despite missing superstar Jayson Tatum (right wrist bone bruise), the Celtics showed their depth and resilience behind Jaylen Brown’s 36-point explosion, including five three-pointers. Kristaps Porzingis, playing through a nasty forehead gash that required five stitches, added 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Al Horford contributed veteran presence and matched the rebounding effort.
Boston surged ahead with two key 11-0 runs in the third quarter, weathering a late Orlando push. Paolo Banchero (32 pts) and Franz Wagner (25 pts) kept the Magic within striking distance, but the Celtics’ composure and depth held strong.
“KP looked good. We’ve just got to look forward to game three,” Brown said. “They’re not going to give up, so we’ve got to keep playing basketball and let the outcome be determined by us.”
Game three shifts to Orlando on Friday, where the Magic will hope to bounce back in front of a home crowd.
