Jayson Tatum tossed in a game-high 32 points to help the visiting Boston Celtics extend their winning streak to five games by beating the Orlando Magic 108-97 on Sunday.
Tatum was 8-of-19 from the field and made 15 of 17 free-throw attempts. The Magic made a total of 15 free throws.
Boston’s Paul George had 17 points, six rebounds and eight assists.
Orlando received 23 points and 10 rebounds from Tristan da Silva, and 23 points and eight rebounds from Anthony Black. Desmond Bane added 19 points.
Orlando led by nine early in the first quarter, but Boston battled back and took its first lead of the game after a Luka Garza three-point play made it 24-23 with 33 seconds remaining in the quarter. The Celtics carried that 24-23 lead into the second quarter even though they made 1 of 11 3-point attempts in the opening 12 minutes.
Tatum sustained a cut that sent him to the locker room when he bumped heads with Jamal Cain late in the first quarter, but he returned to the court in the second.
Boston had its largest lead of the first half, 50-40, after Garza made a free throw with 2:42 remaining in the second. The Celtics led 55-50 at halftime.
The Celtics then scored the first nine points of the second half to extend their lead to 64-50. Orlando didn’t score in the third until Black made two free throws with 8:07 left in the quarter.
The Celtics held a 69-54 lead before Black capped an 18-3 run with a 3-pointer that tied the game at 72 with 46 seconds remaining in the third. Boston took a 77-74 lead into the final frame.
After Orlando tied the game at 79, an 18-6 run put the Celtics up 97-85 with 5:02 to play. Orlando clawed back to within six points after a Bane layup made it 97-93 with 3:59 left, but the Magic failed to get any closer.
–Field Level Media
