Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates with teammate Derrick White while leading the Orlando Magic in the course of the second half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series, Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
BOSTON — When Magic star Paolo Banchero went to the bench with five fouls, the Boston Celtics pulled away and cruised into the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.
Jayson Tatum had 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, and the Celtics abandoned their usual 3-point barrage to beat Orlando 120-89 in Game 5 of their NBA first-round playoff series on Tuesday night.
The defending NBA champions will play either the Recent York Knicks or Detroit Pistons within the second round. The Knicks lead their series 3-2 despite falling 106-103 earlier Tuesday in Recent York.
READ: NBA playoffs: Celtics out for more with probability to complete off Magic
JT had an electrical slam that gave us energy going into the 2nd half making this tonight’s @newbalancehoops Play of the Game ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/EvhQLPbbnl
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 30, 2025
“You only have to seek out other ways,” said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, whose team set NBA records within the regular season for essentially the most 3-point baskets but made none in any respect in the primary half — a primary in almost 4 years.
“That’s what this series called for. Every series calls for various things,” Mazzulla said. “You’ve got to have the opportunity to win in other ways on either side of the ball.”
Franz Wagner scored 25 points, Banchero had 19 and Wendell Carter Jr. had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who haven’t won a playoff series since Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and coach Stan Van Gundy led them to the Eastern Conference finals in 2010.
Boston fell behind by nine in the primary half, and Orlando still led 51-47 early within the third quarter when Banchero picked up his fourth foul; just 79 seconds later, he picked up his fifth, a call that sent an apoplectic coach Jamahl Mosley to the officials, demanding a review.
The replay showed Banchero stepped into Jaylen Brown as he shot, and the Magic forward went to the bench, where he stayed for the remainder of the quarter. In that point, Boston scored 31 of the subsequent 40 points to open an 83-62 lead.
READ: NBA: Tatum, Brown pace Celtics past Magic for 3-1 series lead
“It definitely swung the series. It definitely swung the sport,” Mosley said. “All I saw is Paolo getting an elbow to the face or back into the face — and he got the foul. That was a game-changer right there. Your best player picks up his fifth foul within the third quarter. It’s tough to return back from that moment.”
Brown scored 23 points for Boston.
Tatum, who injured his wrist on a tough foul in Game 1 and missed Game 2, returned with three straight games of at the very least 35 points. He was 11 for 11 from the free-throw line — he has not missed a foul shot since Game 1 — and 10 for 16 from the sector, making 4 of 5 3-point attempts.
The Celtics attempted only six 3-pointers in the primary half and made none. It was the primary time they went into halftime and not using a 3 since 2021.
Tatum made their first 3-pointer early within the third quarter, however it can be one other seven minutes before he made their second. Throughout the regular season, they made one, on average, every 2 minutes, 42 seconds.
