Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 30 points and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 23 to lead the Boston Celtics to a 121-94 victory over the visiting Orlando Magic on Friday night.
Tatum was 12 of 21 from the field. He also had six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Porzingis was 7 of 10 on field-goal attempts, including 3-of-5 shots from 3-point range. Porzingis has made at least three 3-pointers in each of his last four games.
Jaylen Brown added 20 points, six rebounds and a game-high six assists for Boston, which entered the game with double-digit losses in three of its previous five contests. Derrick White (12) was the only other Boston player who scored in double figures.
Cole Anthony led Orlando with 23 points and seven rebounds. Paolo Banchero added 21 points and four rebounds in 29 minutes, while Wendell Carter Jr. finished with 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds. It was Orlando’s fourth loss in its last five games.
Boston made 17 of 37 3-point attempts (45.9 percent), with seven players hitting at least one 3-pointer. Orlando was 5 of 32 (15.6 percent) from 3-point range and 41.5 percent (34 of 82) from the field.
Orlando played without Jalen Suggs (back strain), Jeff Howard (ankle sprain), Gary Harris (hamstring strain), Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol) and Franz Wagner (return to competition reconditioning). Wagner (24.4), Suggs (16.4) and Bitadze (9.6) are three of the team’s top five scorers. Bitadze is Orlando’s leading rebounder (8.2).
Boston led 35-28 after one quarter, 66-54 at halftime and had a 96-76 advantage entering the fourth. Orlando failed to get closer than 16 in the final 12 minutes.
The victory improved Boston’s home record to 15-7.
It was the second meeting between the teams this season. The Magic prevailed 108-104 in Orlando on Dec. 23.
–Field Level Media
