It may not have been quite as easy as they expected it to be, but the Boston Celtics advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs on Tuesday.
They did so by dispatching the Orlando Magic, a team that put up a decent fight, in five games in the first round. They got past Orlando by a final score of 120-89 after a competitive first half, and now their quest for back-to-back NBA championships may begin in earnest.
On its official X account, the Celtics organization sent a succinct but clear message following their Game 5 clincher on Tuesday.
“SERIES OVER,” it wrote.
SERIES OVER pic.twitter.com/B92y5SQ9i7
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 30, 2025
The Magic finished the regular season second in defensive rating and were first in opponents’ 3-point attempts and makes. Boston, meanwhile, was first in 3-point makes and attempts during the regular season.
Boston had to deal with an injury to star forward Jayson Tatum that forced him to miss Game 2. It was able to win that contest without him, thanks to 36 points from Jaylen Brown.
Since returning for Game 3, Tatum has played prolific offensive basketball. In Tuesday’s clincher, he had 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, and it was his third consecutive game with at least 35 points.
Orlando led Game 5 49-47 at halftime, but the Celtics ended the third quarter on an 18-2 run, and just like that, the plug had been pulled on Orlando’s season.
They will now move on to play the winner of the series between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. The Pistons, who were trailing three games to one coming into Tuesday, won Game 5 of that series to stay alive.
Related: Charles Barkley Has Clear Solution After Fight Erupts in Warriors-Rockets
It may not have been quite as easy as they expected it to be, but the Boston Celtics advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs on Tuesday.
They did so by dispatching the Orlando Magic, a team that put up a decent fight, in five games in the first round. They got past Orlando by a final score of 120-89 after a competitive first half, and now their quest for back-to-back NBA championships may begin in earnest.
On its official X account, the Celtics organization sent a succinct but clear message following their Game 5 clincher on Tuesday.
“SERIES OVER,” it wrote.
SERIES OVER pic.twitter.com/B92y5SQ9i7
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 30, 2025
The Magic finished the regular season second in defensive rating and were first in opponents’ 3-point attempts and makes. Boston, meanwhile, was first in 3-point makes and attempts during the regular season.
Boston had to deal with an injury to star forward Jayson Tatum that forced him to miss Game 2. It was able to win that contest without him, thanks to 36 points from Jaylen Brown.
Since returning for Game 3, Tatum has played prolific offensive basketball. In Tuesday’s clincher, he had 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, and it was his third consecutive game with at least 35 points.
Orlando led Game 5 49-47 at halftime, but the Celtics ended the third quarter on an 18-2 run, and just like that, the plug had been pulled on Orlando’s season.
They will now move on to play the winner of the series between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. The Pistons, who were trailing three games to one coming into Tuesday, won Game 5 of that series to stay alive.
Related: Charles Barkley Has Clear Solution After Fight Erupts in Warriors-Rockets
