Four Studs, Two Duds As Celtics Take Control Of Magic In Game 4

The Boston Celtics were on a redemption mission entering Sunday night’s Game 4 battle against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center.

Boston’s patience had run thin over Orlando’s physical antics, and the team’s subpar performance in Game 3 warranted a response. The Magic carried their carefree demeanor into the contest by continuing their line-toeing approach that rubbed Jaylen Brown and Al Horford the wrong way. It was enough to get Horford active for another verbal scuffle, but nothing more.

Jayson Tatum and the Celtics managed to overcome the pesky Magic and escape with no injuries and a critical 3-1 series lead, giving the defending champions a chance to seal the series at TD Garden on Tuesday night.

Here are four studs and two duds from Boston’s 107-98 Game 4 victory over Orlando:

STUDS
Jayson Tatum
The margin for error was paper-thin for the Celtics, and Tatum provided the team with two crucial attributes: reliability and composure.

Tatum recorded his 51st career playoff double-double, as the six-time All-Star scored a game-leading 37 points with 14 rebounds. He shot 10-of-25 from the floor and a perfect 14-of-14 from the free-throw line to ensure the Celtics wouldn’t look back with regret. Tatum’s poise allowed Boston to overcome the hectic moments when the Magic appeared on the verge of mustering come-from-behind runs. Instead, Tatum and the Celtics have their first series closeout opportunity booked for Game 5.

Boston’s offensive adjustment
The Celtics recognized the 3-pointer wasn’t falling early on, so they wisely looked elsewhere to maintain their scoring volume.

Boston scored 38 points inside the paint, which allowed it to overcome its ineffective 9-for-31 (29%) showing from beyond the arc. Since the Magic are the weakest 3-point shooting teams in the league — they ranked dead last in makes and percentage in the regular season — the Celtics didn’t have to worry about them on that front.

If Boston can return to its on-brand standard of Mazzulla-ball, the Celtics can easily have the Magic packing their bags well before the end of Game 5.

Paolo Banchero
Orlando’s go-to scoring threat shined again, although it wasn’t enough.

Banchero dropped a team-leading 31 points with seven rebounds and three assists. It was another elite performance from the 22-year-old, who just fell short in the decisive moments. Boston’s experience overruled Banchero’s skill in the fourth quarter when the Magic cut the lead down to six points with 3:21 remaining.

Kristaps Porzingis
Boston’s 7-footer was in search of vengeance, too, after scoring just seven points in Game 3.

Porzingis bounced back with a 19-point, five-rebound performance. The 29-year-old was a nightmare for Orlando defensively and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, while outmatching defenders inside the paint to help stabilize Boston’s offense. Porzingis pitched in with a key turnaround that poses an encouraging sign for what the Celtics could expect from him moving forward this postseason.

DUDS
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The biggest instigator of the series wasn’t nearly as active in the scoring department.

Caldwell-Pope scored eight points across 31 minutes. He shot 2-of-4 from the field and tallied four assists, but failed in the leadership department. The 32-year-old got charged with a nail-in-the-coffin technical foul in the fourth quarter due to frustrations, which allowed the Celtics to trot across the finish line comfortably.

Boston’s bench
It wasn’t a pretty performance from the reserve unit.

Sam Hauser’s six points were all the Celtics received from the bench as Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet went scoreless. Pritchard played 26 minutes and the league’s Sixth Man of the Year logged only two shot attempts — both 3-pointers — which could’ve been costly. Boston is going to need much more from the trio entirely come Game 5 and beyond.