The Orlando Magic just shocked the Boston Celtics 108-104. In a massive Eastern Conference clash where they were missing their two best players, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the rest of the Magic stars stepped up to defeat the Celtics in a major upset. The Magic were down by 15 at one point in the game but rallied to come back and steal the game for themselves.
The Magic were led on the night by youngster Tristan da Silva, who had a magnificent game, putting up 18 points (6-11 FG), three rebounds, and one steal, going 4-8 from the three-point line, including the game-sealing dagger. Trevelin Queen played well with 17 points (5-9 FG), one rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block. Jalen Suggs had 16 points (5-13 FG), six rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks.
The Boston Celtics were hamstrung with no Jayson Tatum, but Jaylen Brown stepped up with 35 points (15-29 FG), nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Derrick White showed his value to the Celtics once again, with 17 points (5-11 FG), four rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Jrue Holiday put up big numbers, with 16 points (7-12 FG), eight rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.
The Magic had to fight from underneath to be able to win this game. Not only were they already at a disadvantage coming into tonight without their two best players, but they fell behind by 15 points before the end of the first half. And with the Celtics making a comeback in the final minutes, they kept their composure and sealed the win thanks to a massive three-pointer from da Silva to win the game.
Here are three reasons why the Magic upset the Celtics:
Magic Dominate Three-Point Shooting
One of the Orlando Magic’s keys to success was their three-point shooting on the night. As a team, they made 12 of their 30 three-point attempts, shooting at a 40% clip on the night. It was a very efficient shooting night from deep for a team that has shot just 30.8% from beyond the arc for the season.
Whereas the Celtics had an uncharacteristically poor night from the three-point line, making just 6 of their 28 attempts from deep, with a success rate of just 21.4% from deep. For a team that has shot 36.6% from beyond the arc this season, this was a disappointing shooting night for the Celtics.
The Magic will hope that this can be a sign of things to come from a three-point shooting standpoint. They have been poor from the three-point line, ranking dead-last in the NBA for three-point percentage. There needs to be a change for the Magic and it needs to happen fast.
Free-Throw Line Perfection From Magic
Much of this game came down to free-throw shooting. And the Magic were absolutely perfect from the stripe. They made all 21 of their attempts from the free-throw line as a team, shooting at an impressive 100.0% from the charity stripe. Being this efficient at free throws is a great way to give yourself an advantage in a game.
On the other end, the Celtics were also strong from the free-throw line, but just not as much as the Magic. They made 22 of their 27 attempts from the free-throw line, shooting at an impressive 81.5% from the stripe. The difference tonight came down to the five missed free throws, as had the Celtics made those, they would’ve cut the four-point deficit the Magic had on the night.
The Magic are the ninth-best free-throw shooting team in the NBA, making 79.2% of their charity shots for the season. For them to step up on the night was a massive x-factor, and helped them get the big win over an Eastern Conference rival. This momentum is something the Magic need to capitalize on heading into the second half of the NBA season.
Contrasting Fortunes Off The Bench
The Orlando Magic had their five bench players contribute 41 of their 108 points tonight. It was a massive performance from the bench players, as they helped the Magic seal the victory over the Celtics. Wendell Carter Jr. had 11 points (5-8 FG), seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Cole Anthony also stepped up, with 10 points (4-9 FG), two rebounds, and five assists.
On the other side of the Court, the Boston Celtics relied on just three players off the bench. And they were massive letdowns, as they combined to contribute just 11 of the Celtics’ 104 points on the night. Payton Pritchard had a slow night with just seven points (3-7 FG), three rebounds, and one assist. Luke Kornet had just four points (2-4 FG), five rebounds, one steal, and one block.
The Celtics didn’t have any help from their bench players tonight and had to rely on their starters to deliver at a high level. And while the Celtics’ starters did do well to push the game to the final minute, it wasn’t enough to overcome the gritty and resilient Orland Magic squad on the night.
The Magic will take this strong win in their stride, as they were able to beat the reigning NBA champions while both their best players, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, were out injured. Tonight’s outing just shows that the Magic are for real, and when Banchero and Wagner are back, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
The Orlando Magic currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 19-12 record. They next play the Miami Heat at home on Thursday, at 7 PM EST. The Magic have shown that they have the Heat’s number, and will be looking to defeat their fellow Floridian rivals.
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