“Orlando took away those opportunities with their physicality”
Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics still couldn’t solve the Orlando Magic puzzle on the way to the 113-98 loss. This is the third time in a row that Team C has lost to Magic after 10 previous meetings.
Boston plays short tonight because they do not have Marcus Smart and Robert Williams to start respectively due to ankle and knee injuries. They also missed out on the service of Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malcolm Brogdon, who did not participate for personal reasons.
Brown had this to say about Magic after the Celtics’ nine-game winning streak was halted:
“Tonight we had the chance to win or go up and Orlando took those chances with their physicality. Give them credit and we look forward to the next game.”
Even with some key players wearing streetwear, the Boston Celtics expect more from themselves. They beat the Toronto Raptors on the road last Saturday without Tatum and lost Smart, Williams and Derrick White to injury.
Jaylen Brown knew the Celtics could have and should have done better but it looks like the Magic has got their numbers. After halftime at 55-54, Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner and Favorite Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero dominated Boston.
After Tatum hit a 3 to give Orlando a 97-95 lead, the Magic kept them to 3 points for the rest of the way. It’s not just the physicality of coach Jamahl Mosley’s team that upset the Celtics.
The length and sportiness of the Orlando Magic is a puzzle that Jaylen Brown and company have not been able to solve. Brown and Jayson Tatum each have 26 points, but they have to bleed for each.
After the game, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla repeated what Jaylen Brown had said earlier. Mazzulla emphasizes the physicality and edge of the Orlando Magic, which are the biggest reasons for Boston’s decline.
Jaylen Brown and Boston Celtics can’t take their feet off the pedals
After the loss to the Orlando Magic, the Boston Celtics dropped to 35-13, still leading the Philadelphia 76ers by four games in the Eastern Conference. In fact, they’ve had the best of their league and even the entire NBA for most of the season.
Injuries to Marcus Smart and Robert Williams may slow them down, but they can’t take their feet off the gas pedal. They have to adapt without two of the best defensive players on their way to keeping the best record in the NBA.
Against the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic, they looked sluggish, especially in the first half. They can’t afford it because the season is still long and they will face elite opponents almost every night.
Moving forward, Jaylen Brown will have to shoulder more of the burden on the Celtics when Jayson Tatum was beaten. “JT” had been dealing with wrist pain and most of them felt pain for something when they lost to Magic.
Boston will face the Miami Heat, LA Lakers new look, with Rui HachimuraBrooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks for the next 10 games.
If they are still seriously understaffed and don’t play to the usual standards, they could lose their high position on the leaderboard.