BOSTON  – The Boston Celtics cruised to a 103-86 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday, but the win wasn’t without its tense moments. As the Celtics began to assert their dominance, their star player, Jayson Tatum, found himself on the ground in pain after a hard fall.

Despite the scare, Tatum was able to recover and finish the game, much to the relief of the home crowd. As chants of “MVP!” filled the TD Garden, Tatum slowly made his way to the bench, reassuring fans that he was alright. “I just landed on it. It was throbbing for a second,” Tatum explained. “It kind of went away.”

With Tatum back in action, Boston was able to maintain control of the game, with Derrick White leading the charge, scoring a career-high 30 points. Tatum finished with 17 points, and Payton Pritchard made a big impact off the bench, adding 19 points. Jaylen Brown, who had missed the last three regular-season games due to a knee injury, chipped in with 16 points, playing 31 minutes.

White, confident in his team’s versatility, said, “We’ve got many different ways we can win. A lot of different things we can throw at teams.”

While the Celtics were comfortably in control for most of the game, the Magic managed to keep things close early on. Orlando led by one point at halftime, largely due to their defense, which limited the Celtics’ usually potent three-point shooting. The Magic forced the Celtics to make just 7-of-15 three-pointers in the first half, and Boston finished the game with a solid 16-of-37 from beyond the arc.

However, the tide turned in the third quarter, when Orlando struggled with turnovers, giving up six in the period. The Celtics capitalized, outscoring the Magic 30-18 and taking a 78-65 lead into the final quarter. From there, Boston extended their lead to as much as 19 points, closing out the game with ease.

Orlando’s Paolo Banchero led his team with a standout performance, scoring 36 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, while Franz Wagner added 23 points. Despite their strong individual performances, the Magic couldn’t overcome the Celtics’ defensive pressure and ball movement.

“We’ve got to clean up the turnovers,” said Banchero. “It’s Game 1, there’s nerves. Lit crowd. Really loud. Not a total surprise that we struggled a little bit on offense, honestly.”

Jaylen Brown, who had injections in his knee last week to manage the issue, showed no signs of limitation. In the third quarter, with the Celtics holding a 15-point lead, Brown threw down an emphatic two-handed dunk and hung on the rim in celebration. “I haven’t got one of those in a little bit,” Brown said. “But we’re just getting started.”

The Celtics will look to extend their series lead when they host Game 2 on Wednesday night. With Tatum’s health intact and their offensive depth on full display, Boston appears well on its way to advancing deeper into the playoffs as they aim to defend their NBA championship.

Source: AP News – Derrick White scores 30, Tatum stays in game after fall and Celtics beat Magic 103-86 in Game 1

The post Celtics Power Past Magic 103-86 in Game 1 Behind White’s 30-Point Performance appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Curry Shines with 27 Points, 9 Assists, 7 Rebounds, and 4 Steals

Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors to a thrilling 118-112 victory over the defending champion Boston Celtics in Boston on Wednesday. Curry filled up the stat sheet with 27 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, and four steals. This is the fifth time in his career he’s achieved these numbers in a single game. With this win, the Warriors extended their winning streak to five games, remaining undefeated on the road while snapping Boston’s three-game winning streak and handing the Celtics their first home loss of the season.

Warriors’ Defense Turns the Game Around

The Warriors initially trailed by 11 points but managed to flip the deficit into an 11-point lead by halftime. Celtics guard Derrick White started strong, scoring 12 of Boston’s first 14 points. However, the Warriors’ defense held White scoreless for the rest of the first half and limited Boston to 35.1% shooting (13-for-37). Golden State’s aggressive defense targeted Jayson Tatum, holding him to 2-for-7 shooting and forcing him into four turnovers in the first half. The Celtics had just seven assists and committed ten turnovers in the opening 24 minutes.

Celtics Rally in Third Quarter, Curry Responds

Boston came alive with a 40-point third quarter, fueled by Tatum’s 17 points on 5-for-7 shooting and four three-pointers. Curry countered with 11 points in the quarter, helping the Warriors maintain a slim lead. In the fourth, Curry added another 10 points and assisted on a critical Buddy Hield three-pointer to push Golden State’s lead to seven with under a minute left. Curry’s two-way performance, facing top defenders like Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, proved essential for the Warriors.

Kyle Anderson Finds His Groove

Kyle Anderson, who had only made three three-pointers in the Warriors’ first seven games, sank three consecutive threes in the second quarter. His shooting spree helped Golden State take their first lead, with Anderson finishing the half as the team’s leading scorer with nine points.

Looney’s Big Rebounds Make the Difference

Kevon Looney grabbed double-digit rebounds for the fourth time this season, including six offensive rebounds. Two of Looney’s offensive boards in the final minutes led to key second-chance points that secured the Warriors’ lead. Looney, who led the league in offensive rebounds two seasons ago, was crucial in Golden State’s closing moments.

Looking Ahead

The Warriors will take on the undefeated 9-0 Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday (4:30 p.m. PST).

Additional Highlights:

• Golden State is now 5-0 on the road, their best start since they began the 2015-16 season with 14 consecutive road wins. The Warriors have won 22 of their last 26 road games going back to last season.
• The Warriors’ 7-1 start is their best since the 2021-22 season when they opened 11-1.
• The team has used a different starting lineup in each of their six games this season.
• The Celtics’ 41-point third quarter included 10 three-pointers, matching a Warriors opponent record for most threes in a quarter.
• Stephen Curry’s 27 points moved him past NBA legends Charles Barkley and DeMar DeRozan on the league’s all-time scoring list.
• Buddy Hield contributed 16 points off the bench, hitting 4-of-7 from three. His 37 three-pointers are the most by a player in their first eight games with a new team.
• Moses Moody made his fourth start, scoring nine points and grabbing six rebounds in just 13 minutes.
• Kyle Anderson scored a season-high 11 points, including 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range.
• De’Anthony Melton missed his fifth consecutive game due to a back strain, and Brandin Podziemski was out with an illness.

Golden State Warriors Highlights vs. Boston Celtics

Stephen Curry Top Plays vs. Boston Celtics

Kyle Anderson sinks it from downtown

Source

The post Stephen Curry’s All-Around Performance Propels Warriors to Victory Over Celtics appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.