Celtics Flip the Switch After Halftime to Blow Out Magic
The crowd at TD Garden held its breath as the Celtics trudged off the court at halftime, trailing 49-47 and searching for answers. A sluggish start had plagued Boston, with the team missing all eight of its three-point shots over the first two quarters. Spectators could sense some unease—this was not the free-flowing offense that had powered them all season. Instead, Orlando upped the pressure and threatened to extend the series. But the Celtics emerged from the break with a completely different look, torching the Magic with a third quarter few will forget.
Jayson Tatum lit the spark, piling up points and dishing out assists. The All-NBA forward finished with an astonishing 35 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. His relentless drives and sharp passes opened up shots all over the court—suddenly, everything was falling for Boston. Jaylen Brown, who chipped in 23 points and six rebounds, looked energized by his partner’s surge. The Celtics outscored Orlando 36-13 in the third quarter—an eruption that turned a nail-biter into a game out of reach and thrilled the home fans.
Boston’s turnaround was remarkable not just in scale, but in how quickly they erased all of their early mistakes. After a frigid 0-for-8 start from beyond the arc, the Celtics torched the nets in the second half, hitting 13 of their next 17 three-point attempts. The ball zipped around, defenses collapsed, and Boston’s shooters caught fire. By the final buzzer, the Celtics had shot a sizzling 56.6% from the field (43-for-76).
Record-Breaking Night and What’s Next
The 31-point blowout wasn’t just a win; it set a new NBA postseason record for the largest playoff victory by a team trailing at halftime. The Magic, stunned, simply couldn’t keep up as Boston pressed ahead, building a 34-point cushion by the early fourth quarter. The Magic’s offense sputtered, while Boston found scoring from across the roster as the minutes wound down.
With the series wrapped up 4-1, the Celtics now turn their attention to the next round. Their Eastern Conference Semifinals opponent will be determined by the series between the Knicks and Pistons. As of now, New York holds a 3-2 advantage, but chaos is always lurking in the postseason, and Boston will prepare for either matchup. Sports talk in Boston is already shifting from relief to anticipation—after such a dominant statement, city fans are dreaming big once again.
For now, the NBA playoffs belong to Tatum, Brown, and the Celtics’ balanced attack. The garden is rocking, history has been made, and Boston isn’t looking back.
