Home team Magic successfully prevent Celtics from advancing, maintaining a 2-1 series lead
The Orlando Magic secured a hard-fought victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference playoff series, winning by a narrow margin of 95-93.
The third quarter ended with the Magic holding a slim 73-70 lead, with Paolo Banchero adding 6 points in the early stages of the fourth quarter. The momentum continued to favour Orlando as Franz Wagner scored two consecutive driving hoops, putting the Magic up by 4 points with 2:13 and 1:26 remaining.
Wagner's impressive performance began in the fourth quarter, as he started the period with a three-pointer. His team-high 32 points proved crucial in the Magic's success. Banchero also had a strong game, scoring 29 points for Orlando.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with a game-high 36 points and 9 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown contributed 19 points. However, the Celtics struggled with turnovers, committing a total of 21 in the game. Notably, Tatum was responsible for 7 of these.
The Celtics' defensive ace, Jrue Holiday, was missing from the game due to a strained right hamstring. His absence was felt as the Magic's lead expanded to 86-74 before Boston made a late push.
With 28.1 seconds remaining, Derrick White scored a dunk to bring the score to 91-93, but the Magic held their ground to secure the win. Game 4 will be played at Orlando on April 27.
Joe Mazzulla, the head coach of the Boston Celtics, will be looking to bounce back in the next game as the series continues. The excitement is building as both teams fight for a place in the next round of the playoffs.
