Jayson Tatum confirmed Sunday night that his right wrist is fine after a scary fall during the Boston Celtics’ 103-86 Game 1 win over the Orlando Magic at TD Garden.
The Celtics forward landed hard while attempting a dunk with 8:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, drawing a flagrant 1 foul on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Tatum briefly exited but returned after X-rays came back negative, later assuring reporters, “It’s good… I just landed on it.”
He explained the sensation as “throbbing for a second,” but added the pain subsided quickly and he expects no lingering issues.
Despite an off shooting night—5-for-17 from the field—Tatum contributed 17 points and 14 rebounds in 38 minutes.
Boston leaned on Derrick White, who led all scorers with 30 points, knocking down 7-of-12 from deep while anchoring a third-quarter surge.
The Celtics turned a 49-48 halftime deficit into a 78-67 lead after outscoring Orlando 30-18 in the third and forcing six turnovers in the period.
Tatum praised the team’s balance, saying, “We just have a really well-balanced team… It can be different guys on any night.”
Jaylen Brown, returning from knee soreness, added 16 points in 31 minutes, while Payton Pritchard delivered 19 points off the bench on 6-of-8 shooting.
Boston shot 45.1% from the floor and went 16-for-37 from three, continuing its top-ranked perimeter production from the regular season.
Tatum highlighted the importance of setting the tone in Game 1, especially against a physical Magic team that committed 22 fouls.
He described the intensity as “playoff basketball” and said, “It was a lot of fun… Felt good to be back in the playoffs.”
Orlando was led by Paolo Banchero, who posted 36 points and 11 rebounds, but the team committed 15 turnovers that led to 24 Celtics points.
Franz Wagner added 23 points, but the Magic’s bench managed just 17 total, while starters Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr. combined for 10.
Tatum credited the halftime message—“Rebound”—as the spark behind Boston’s defensive turnaround in the second half.
White’s playmaking and timing were also a focal point, with Tatum saying, “He makes the right play more often than not… High-IQ basketball player.”
As the Celtics look ahead to Game 2 on Wednesday night in Boston, Tatum emphasized the team’s depth and readiness to adjust on both ends.
The Celtics aim to extend their series lead before the first-round shifts to Orlando for Game 3 later this week.
