The Boston Celtics took care of business at TD Garden on Tuesday to book their tickets to the Eastern Conference semifinals after defeating the Orlando Magic in five games. Following a slow start to the game where the Celtics struggled to generate or make enough threes, Boston hit the gas pedal in the second half to throttle the Magic 120-89.
One of the biggest reasons for the stark difference between halves was Jaylen Brown's performance. Brown had eight points on 4/10 shooting in 18 minutes in the first half but broke out after the halftime break, finishing the game with 23 points, six rebounds, and three assists on 9/18 shooting.
Considering that Brown was questionable to play before the game with knee impingement, this was a promising performance from the All-Star. After the win, Brown provided an update on his status going forward.
Jaylen Brown said his body didn’t feel right in the first half tonight but he felt better after halftime. He said “it’s great” that the Celtics finished the series in five and he’ll have some time to prepare for the second round.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) April 30, 2025
Celtics News: Jaylen Brown Revealed the Latest on His Injury Status
The Athletic's Jay King reported that Brown said his body wasn't right in the first half but felt better after halftime. He added that he is happy the team closed out the series, giving him extra time to rest for the next round.
Brown hasn't been right over the last month, dealing with a knee injury. He had to get injections to relieve pain in his knee before the playoffs. The Celtics were able to overcome the Magic even with a hobbled Brown and an injured Jrue Holiday, and Jayson Tatum missing a game with a wrist injury.
Even better than Boston's win was the fact that the Knicks failed to close out the Pistons. After pulling off the upset in New York, the Pistons will host the Knicks in Game 6, further delaying the start of the conference semifinals as the Celtics will face the winner of that first-round matchup. The Celtics will have the rest advantage over their opponents, and once Brown and Holiday can get back to their fully healthy selves, Boston will feel great about their chances of making the Conference Finals.