10 takeaways from the Celtics outlasting the Magic’s physical defense

Jaylen Brown came out firing and never let up, Kristaps Porzingis responded with impact, and the Celtics found answers to every defensive scheme thrown their way.

#1 – Jaylen Brown carrying the offense

Going into the game, there were a lot of questions regarding who would lead the offense and inherit Jayson Tatum’s offensive load. Jaylen Brown was the obvious answer, but there had been doubts regarding his health for a few weeks. It could have been Kristaps Porzingis too, but the size and physical game of the Orlando Magic doesn’t really suit the Latvian big man. Of course, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and the rest of the rotation were expected to take on more responsibilities too, but it was interesting to analyze who was going to be the go-to guy to start the game.

The answer is Jaylen Brown, who keeps giving great hope regarding his recovery. To start the game, he scored 12 of the first 17 points for the Celtics. Acting both as a creator and a finisher, Jaylen Brown was able to generate points against a very impressive Magic defense.

And you know what he did to start the second half? He scored the first six points as well! He hunted down Carter Jr. and pulled up right over him. A great look for the 2024 Finals MVP after a few weeks of doubts and rumors about his knee.

Later in the game, there was an impressive sequence where he drove on Paolo Banchero, finished at the rim, and then used his length to steal the ball and dunk in transition. It’s hard to say if he is at 100%, but he hasn’t looked that good in a long time.

Cherry on the cake, JB was really clutch with a beautiful jumper over Banchero’s head. The ball rose so high, it almost went off the screen.

Is Jaylen Brown back?

#2 – Punishing the Magic if they switch

Before the game, I asked Jamahl Mosley what he thought had worked best during Game 1 in terms of defensive coverage. He didn’t really answer the question and instead emphasized that communication was an important defensive skill as a team.

From the outside, it seems like switching was their best option. Because most of their players are physical and tall enough to give the Celtics a good challenge, they aren’t too frightened by the mismatch hunt. Plus, the mismatch hunt slowed down the Celtics’ offense. They pile up screens, and the ball doesn’t always move much when they start looking for a mismatch to attack.

Yet, the Celtics were able to generate some great quality shots by going after Cory Joseph and Cole Anthony, or the slower Wendell Carter. Here, for example, Jaylen Brown drove and dragged two defenders into the paint, then kicked out to Jrue Holiday — who did what he rarely does: he dunked!

In the second quarter, the Celtics insisted with Porzingis and gave him some great post-up opportunities. After a slow start, he was able to get going, and that changed everything for the Celtics — especially with Tatum sidelined.

So, you might be wondering: what happens if they don’t switch? Well, they get punished, too.

#3 – Punishing them too if they don’t

Seeing how much the Celtics are scoring from mismatch situations, logic would suggest that the Magic need another approach. However, those other approaches are creating even more gaps in the defense. Early in the game, they tried to double and recover to put pressure on the ball handler. That could work, but the Celtics have such great shooters and players able to play in the short roll that it doesn’t stop the bleeding.

Later in the game, they tried to play with Goga Bitadze. While Wendell Carter Jr. is a center who switches a lot, Bitadze is mainly used in drop coverage. So, when he enters the game and has to defend a sideline action, the Celtics know how to punish that. The coaching staff called for a stagger — two screens in the middle of the court for a shooter. As Bitadze remains low, Anthony Black has to fight through the screens, which leaves Pritchard open long enough. Bingo.

So yes, the Celtics can punish the Magic when they switch — but the bill is even higher when they try different defensive approaches.

#4 – 1-3-1 zone defense late in the 1st

Because of their lack of shooting, the Magic rely heavily on individual scoring from Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. To do so, they hunt the best matchup possible. A good way to stop that is to turn from individual defense into zone defense.

Because the Magic players aren’t really threatening from beyond the three-point line, it becomes easier to defend in a zone. Plus, that approach takes away individual scoring as the court gets crowded. Last but not least, the Celtics sometimes use it after a timeout to counter the play the coaches have drawn.

It’s a win-win — but it can be hard to execute sometimes. I asked Joe Mazzulla how he felt about the Celtics’ zone defense execution, and he gave a great insight into what worked, what didn’t, and the purpose of that zone.

#5 – Getting KP going

After making only one shot in Game 1, there were expectations for Kristaps Porzingis. The first quarter was a slow start, but the spacing he generates still brings a lot of value. When he came back in the second quarter, the Celtics drew a play to get him going, helping him connect with the TD Garden crowd.

Less than a minute later, by playing fast, the Celtics were able to find him in a post-up where he had enough space to control the offense and score another bucket.

Overall, he finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds — a solid bounce-back performance from the Latvian big man. But the storyline of his game wasn’t related to his box score.

#6 – Until he bleeds again

Yes, Kristaps Porzingis found a way to bleed again on the TD Garden court. Both the fans and Joe Mazzulla loved it. In a game where the Magic players were really physical, KP decided to come back to shoot the free throws despite the bleeding.

Slowly but surely, Porzingis is building himself a legacy in the hearts of Celtics fans — and he’s grateful for that opportunity. When asked why he had the desire to come back regardless of the injury, he mentioned all the lows he’s experienced in his career. Boston, for him, is a unique opportunity to play at the highest level — and he won’t let that go.

#7 – Jrue Holiday’s will to drive

Since Jrue Holiday was traded to the Celtics, he has played a different offensive role than before. Since wearing the beautiful green, he has played more like a connector and a finisher, leaving creation duties to Jaylen and Jayson. Yet last night felt different.

We already mentioned his dunk — which is pretty rare for him. But there was more to it. He drove against Paolo Banchero and finished at the rim. The level of aggressiveness with the ball in his hands was higher than usual, and he used the spacing at its best.

Usually, he doesn’t drive and kick; he’s usually at the receiving end of these actions and only triggers when he gets the ball in the corner. Well, last night, when it mattered the most, he was able to drive and kick it to Brown, who hit the triple that killed the game.

After a season of dealing with injuries, it’s a great sign to see him move so well with the ball in his hands, able to create offense while Jayson Tatum is resting.

#8 – And then, Derrick White happened

Before Jaylen Brown came up clutch in the last minutes, there was a moment where the offense felt stuck and the Magic were getting really close. But this is also the moment when Derrick White turned into a superstar for a minute and made not one but two pull-up triples.

After a slow game, Derrick White keeps delivering when it matters. He has the feel, the touch, and the confidence to turn into a go-to guy when the Celtics need him to step up.

#9 – Payton Pritchard celebrating

Before the game, Pritchard received the well-deserved Sixth Man of the Year trophy. That could have been a good reason to relax and enjoy the moment — but that’s not Pritchard’s way. He mentioned before the game that he was happy for a second, but quickly remembered there was a game to win the next day, and a title to fight for.

Throughout the game, he showed really good resistance against Paolo Banchero when he was hunting him and found different ways to score. Late in the game, he also came up clutch with a very smart baseline cut and an and-one on Carter Jr. — impressive for the small guard.

Like the rest of the Celtics, Payton Pritchard stepped up and delivered another high-quality performance off the bench.

#10 – The Magic are fouling, a lot

There’s one statistical fact that perfectly highlights the level of physicality in the Orlando Magic defense: the Celtics took only four more three-pointers than free throws (37 vs. 33). The sooner this series ends, the better for the Celtics — who have a higher chance of getting injured as it goes on.