The Boston Celtics secured a 113-108 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night at TD Garden, relying on a short-handed rotation to close the regular season.
Boston rested eight regular contributors, including Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but its reserves delivered a complete offensive performance to maintain momentum entering the playoffs.
Baylor Scheierman led the way with a career-high 30 points, knocking down six three-pointers and adding seven rebounds and seven assists.
Luka Garza followed with 27 points and 12 rebounds, including a decisive three-pointer with 31.6 seconds remaining that broke a late tie.
Ron Harper Jr. matched Garza with 27 points, providing consistent scoring pressure and helping stabilize the offense during key stretches.
The Celtics improved to 56-26 and locked in the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed, continuing a strong finish despite extended absences throughout the season.
Orlando, which entered the game on a five-game winning streak, dropped to 45-37 and slid to the No. 8 seed, setting up a road play-in matchup against Philadelphia.
Paolo Banchero recorded a triple-double with 23 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, while Jalen Suggs added 23 points, including the game-tying three-pointer in the final two minutes.
Boston’s second unit shifted the game in the third quarter, outscoring Orlando 42-20 behind efficient perimeter shooting.
The Celtics hit 9 of 16 from beyond the arc in that period, using spacing and ball movement to generate open looks and flip a double-digit deficit into a 94-81 lead.
Scheierman fueled a decisive 12-2 run with two quick threes, as Boston connected on four triples in a span of under two minutes.
Orlando responded in the fourth quarter, trimming a 16-point deficit to five after Banchero’s layup and eventually tying the game late on Suggs’ three.
Garza’s late execution proved decisive, converting from deep after an inbound sequence to give Boston a three-point edge it would not relinquish.
The Celtics finished 19-for-50 from three-point range and shot a perfect 22-for-22 from the free-throw line, maximizing efficiency despite lineup changes.
Orlando shot 40% from the field and 28% from three, struggling to match Boston’s shot-making during the decisive third quarter stretch.
Boston now awaits its first-round playoff opponent, while Orlando travels to face the 76ers in a win-or-go-home play-in game.
The performance highlighted Boston’s depth and offensive structure, showing the ability to generate scoring through spacing and ball movement even without primary stars.
