The Celtics dropped a winnable game in the first of a two-game weekend series against the Orlando Magic on Friday night, falling 123-110.
With the loss, Boston falls to 1-1 in NBA Cup Group Play with a -12 point differential. The Celtics will host the Nets on Friday, Nov. 21, and the Pistons on Wednesday, Nov. 26, to close out group play of the tournament.
Five Celtics — Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Josh Minott, and Anfernee Simons — finished in double figures. Brown (32 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals) and Pritchard (27 points, four assists, two rebounds, one steal) led the way for Boston. Franz Wagner (27 points, six rebounds, six assists) and Desmond Bane (22 points, seven assists, six rebounds) led the Magic.
Here are seven takeaways as the Celtics fall to 4-6 on the season.
Slow start
The Celtics have been strong in the first quarter this season, outscoring their opponents in six of the nine first quarters before Friday night. That early advantage didn’t show up against Orlando.
Behind a 25-4 run, the Magic outscored Boston 38-25 in the opening quarter, matching the largest deficit Boston had allowed in a first quarter this season (Houston).
Orlando, who entered the night making just 10.4 threes per game (28th), knocked down seven on 7-of-12 (58.3%) shooting — the most threes they’ve made in any quarter this season. The Magic created high-quality looks in transition, finishing with eight fastbreak points and cashing in on four Boston turnovers. They shot 12-of-22 (54.5%) for the quarter and added seven second-chance points off three offensive rebounds.
The Celtics found themselves in a 16-point hole early, forcing them to play catch-up for most of the first half.
Tough night defensively
The Celtics allowed a 38-point first quarter and a 39-point fourth quarter. They had just 11 quarters all of last season in which they allowed 38+ points. They’ve had six already this season, tied for the second-most in the NBA.
One of Joe Mazzulla’s key benchmarks is holding the opponent to 25 points. They almost doubled that… twice.
Orlando finished the night with 123 points, the second-most the Celtics have allowed this season, trailing only the 128 Houston scored. They shot 41-of-82 (50%) from the field and 17-of-36 (47.2%) from three — both season highs. The Celtics also committed 27 fouls, leading to 31 free throw attempts, 24 of which Orlando made.
Seven players scored in double figures, with six shooting over 50%. Orlando also had 19 second-chance points off 11 offensive rebounds and 22 points off turnovers from 14 Boston giveaways.
It’s tough to win games like that.
Key mistakes down the stretch
The Celtics took their first lead since going up 7-2 in the opening 2:45 after a Derrick White three put them ahead by one with 9:12 remaining. From there, they were outscored 36-21. Boston led 96-95 with 6:08 left, only to be doubled up 28-14 the rest of the way.
Between turnovers and lapses, the Celtics were their own worst enemy down the stretch, making some back-breaking mistakes.
For as good as they’ve been, the two biggest turnovers came from Josh Minott. He had a miscue under the Orlando basket that led to an Anthony Black layup and sparked a 9-0 Orlando run. Later, Queta missed a layup and then committed a take foul 90 feet from the basket. Desmond Bane made the free throw and followed it with a three, creating a six-point swing.
Those mistakes were tough to overcome, especially on the road. They gave Orlando momentum, and the Magic never looked back.
Another positive game from Jordan Walsh
Joe Mazzulla credited Jordan Walsh for changing the game. Walsh had a similar impact on Friday night, bringing strong defense, rebounding, and, more importantly, a burst of energy when he checked in to help spark the Celtics’ first-half comeback.
Walsh finished with a team-high five rebounds in 11:56 in the first half. He also added a block and a steal, finishing at +6, tied for the team-best. His block led to a transition and-one for Derrick White.
The 21-year-old, now in his third season, has been waiting for his opportunity, and over the last two games, he has made the most of it. These are some of the most impactful minutes Walsh has played since joining Boston.
He’s impacting the game in the way the Celtics need him to, and that’s how he’s earning his time on the court, a welcome sight for the Celtics.
Another young wing, Hugo Gonzalez, was also impactful, making winning plays in his 8:49. He finished with four rebounds, an assist, and a +9. The 19-year-old continues to look more and more like he belongs, even as a raw 19-year-old rookie.
Jaylen Brown continues to dominate
Jaylen Brown continued his dominant start to the season.
He posted his sixth 30-point game of the season, tying the Celtics’ record for most 30-point games in the first 10 games of a season with Sam Jones, John Havlicek, and Jayson Tatum. Brown is averaging 28.1 points on 53.5% shooting from the field, 37.7% from three, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. His six 30-point games are tied for the second-most in the NBA.
With the exception of the Knicks game, Brown has been everything the Celtics could have asked for. He’s been elite night in and night out, playing at an All-NBA level.
Strong nights from Derrick White and Payton Pritchard
After matching his season-high with 18 points on Wednesday night against Washington, Payton Pritchard set a new season-high with 27 points on 8-of-16 (50%) shooting from the field and 5-of-8 (62.5%) from three. His five made threes were a season-high, and the 62.5% marked the first time he shot over 36% from deep in a game this season. Pritchard needed a performance like that — getting the three-ball to fall — and if he can do more of it consistently, it would be huge for the Celtics’ offense.
White, meanwhile, is still waiting for his shooting breakthrough. He shot just 7-of-16 (43.8%) from the field and 1-of-6 (16.7%) from three. However, he did finish with team-highs in assists (10) and steals (3). He also notched his fourth double-double in the first 10 games. His career-high for a single season is seven (2022-23).
Another winnable game lost
This team is going to have to earn wins night in and night out, so when they drop winnable ones, it’s frustrating. It’s happened a few times this season because the Celtics haven’t been able to overcome their deficiencies, and that might just be the reality for this team.
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