Celtics Surge Past Magic: Derrick White’s Dominance Leads Boston to 1-0 Playoff Advantage

Derrick White netted 30 points as the Boston Celtics triumphed over the Orlando Magic 103-86 in the first game of their playoff series on Sunday.

Payton Pritchard contributed 19 points off the bench for Boston, while Jayson Tatum added 17 points to his tally, finishing the match after a concerning fall late in the game.

Jaylen Brown played 31 minutes, scoring 16 points despite having missed the last three regular-season games due to knee issues.

Latvian player Kristaps Porzingis managed only five points with a shooting performance of 1/8 from the field, but he also recorded six rebounds and four steals.

Paolo Banchero was the standout for the Magic, finishing with 36 points and 11 rebounds, while German forward Franz Wagner chipped in with 23 points. Orlando has not advanced past the first round of the playoffs since the 2009-10 season.

At halftime, Orlando held a narrow lead of one point (49-48), but the Celtics surged in the second half, outscoring their opponents 30-18 and taking a 78-65 advantage into the final quarter.