The Boston Celtics returned to TD Garden for Game 5 of their 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs first round series with designs of sending the Magic fishing. And in a dramatic turnaround from one half to the next, the Celtics accomplished that goal.
The first half encapsulated the entirety of the series before this decisive Game 5, but the second — oh, the second half (and the third quarter in particular) encapsulated the entire season before it. Orlando’s legit perimeter defense was every bit as billed, but when it was time to put the series away (and hopefully get a little rest), the historic jump-shooting identity of this team reasserted itself in a manner befitting a defending champion.
Let’s take a look at the superb, the dreadful, and what is still to be determined by Boston in this series.
The Superb
Yes, the third quarter was absolutely, definitively superb. It is an IDEAL word to describe the way an aggressive Jaylen Brown changed how he attacked the cup and the defense played by Derrick White, leading Magic star Paolo Banchero to pick up his fourth and fifth fouls in quick succession. When Banchero was benched after an ill-advised but necessary challenge from coach Jamahl Moseley, the wheels finally fell off for Orlando.
Jayson Tatum in particular turned the heat up, but key treys from Al Horford and lockdown defense almost entirely missing in the first half put the Magic on their heels, and they never recovered. Boston’s 30 assists is another clear indicator of the Celtics finally finding a way to assert their identity in a way Orlando had no answer for.
The Dreadful
Neither team made a trey in the first half of the game, a rare event in today’s NBA. But one team is built to put them up at a league-leading clip, and the other simply pulled Boston into the mid with them. Too many turnovers, too many casual passes, a general lack of ball pressure and a near-absence of offensive rebounding had the fans in the building worried they might be in for a repeat of Game 3.
Thankfully that did not come to pass, but it was hard to watch nonetheless. Tony Brothers made his presence known as is his wont with a seemingly phantom foul, but it’s hard to get too upset with the officiating in this game compared to the prior four contests in the series.
What’s To Be Determined
The obvious answer here is what team from the Detroit Pistons – New York Knicks first round series, with the Pistons having kept their season alive with a win over the Knicks the same night Boston closed out their series. Fans (but hopefully not players) will have their eyes on the second round series between the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers after both those clubs advanced as well, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat, respectively.
Also to be kept an eye on is how much rest the Celtics can steal while Detroit and New York go at it. Pending how that series goes, Boston could be back in action as soon as Saturday, May 3 — or as late as Tuesday, May 6.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: The Superb, Dreadful, and TBD of the Celtics Game 5 win vs. the Magic
The Boston Celtics returned to TD Garden for Game 5 of their 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs first round series with designs of sending the Magic fishing. And in a dramatic turnaround from one half to the next, the Celtics accomplished that goal.
The first half encapsulated the entirety of the series before this decisive Game 5, but the second — oh, the second half (and the third quarter in particular) encapsulated the entire season before it. Orlando’s legit perimeter defense was every bit as billed, but when it was time to put the series away (and hopefully get a little rest), the historic jump-shooting identity of this team reasserted itself in a manner befitting a defending champion.
Let’s take a look at the superb, the dreadful, and what is still to be determined by Boston in this series.
The Superb
Yes, the third quarter was absolutely, definitively superb. It is an IDEAL word to describe the way an aggressive Jaylen Brown changed how he attacked the cup and the defense played by Derrick White, leading Magic star Paolo Banchero to pick up his fourth and fifth fouls in quick succession. When Banchero was benched after an ill-advised but necessary challenge from coach Jamahl Moseley, the wheels finally fell off for Orlando.
Jayson Tatum in particular turned the heat up, but key treys from Al Horford and lockdown defense almost entirely missing in the first half put the Magic on their heels, and they never recovered. Boston’s 30 assists is another clear indicator of the Celtics finally finding a way to assert their identity in a way Orlando had no answer for.
The Dreadful
Neither team made a trey in the first half of the game, a rare event in today’s NBA. But one team is built to put them up at a league-leading clip, and the other simply pulled Boston into the mid with them. Too many turnovers, too many casual passes, a general lack of ball pressure and a near-absence of offensive rebounding had the fans in the building worried they might be in for a repeat of Game 3.
Thankfully that did not come to pass, but it was hard to watch nonetheless. Tony Brothers made his presence known as is his wont with a seemingly phantom foul, but it’s hard to get too upset with the officiating in this game compared to the prior four contests in the series.
What’s To Be Determined
The obvious answer here is what team from the Detroit Pistons – New York Knicks first round series, with the Pistons having kept their season alive with a win over the Knicks the same night Boston closed out their series. Fans (but hopefully not players) will have their eyes on the second round series between the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers after both those clubs advanced as well, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat, respectively.
Also to be kept an eye on is how much rest the Celtics can steal while Detroit and New York go at it. Pending how that series goes, Boston could be back in action as soon as Saturday, May 3 — or as late as Tuesday, May 6.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: The Superb, Dreadful, and TBD of the Celtics Game 5 win vs. the Magic
