Derrick White led the way with 30 points as the Boston Celtics opened their first-round playoff series with a 103-86 victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday at TD Garden.
The Celtics took control after halftime, outscoring Orlando 30-18 in the third quarter and capitalizing on six Magic turnovers in the period.
White shot 10-of-18 from the field and hit 7-of-12 from beyond the arc, helping Boston stretch its lead to as many as 19 in the fourth quarter.
Jayson Tatum scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds but briefly exited in the final quarter after taking a hard fall on a dunk attempt.
The incident occurred with 8:28 left when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made contact on a block attempt, sending Tatum crashing to the floor and holding his right wrist.
Following a video review, officials upgraded Caldwell-Pope’s foul to a flagrant 1, but Tatum stayed in the game and confirmed postgame that X-rays on his wrist were negative.
Boston also received key contributions from Payton Pritchard, who added 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting off the bench.
Jaylen Brown returned from a three-game absence due to knee soreness and scored 16 points in 31 minutes, showing no visible limitations.
Boston finished the night shooting 45.1% from the floor and made 16 of 37 three-point attempts, continuing their league-leading form from beyond the arc.
Orlando was led by Paolo Banchero, who posted a playoff career-high 36 points and 11 rebounds in 42 minutes.
Franz Wagner chipped in 23 points for the Magic, but the team struggled with ball control, committing 15 turnovers that led to 24 Celtics points.
The Magic held a 49-48 lead at halftime but were outscored 55-37 in the second half and never recovered after losing momentum in the third quarter.
Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr. combined for just 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting, while Orlando’s bench was held to 17 points.
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference matchup is scheduled for Wednesday night in Boston, where the Celtics will look to extend their series lead.
Boston improved to 35-7 at home this season, including the playoffs, and maintained its pursuit of a second straight NBA title.
