Magic Celtics takeaways: Boston won the one quarter Orlando could not absorb.
The game was close at the end, but it was not balanced across all four quarters. Boston's third quarter was loud enough to decide the night.
1. The third quarter was the game
Orlando led 61-52 at halftime. Boston won the third quarter 42-20. That is a 31-point swing from the halftime margin, and it explains why a five-point final can still feel like a game Boston took control of earlier.
2. Banchero's triple-double was not empty
Paolo Banchero's 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists kept Orlando organized. His six turnovers hurt, but the Magic needed his creation because the team shot only 39.6 percent overall.
3. Boston's three-player scoring core was enough
Scheierman, Garza, and Harper combined for 84 points. In a game where Boston's bench only scored 17, that kind of concentrated production mattered.
4. Orlando's rebounding edge did not travel to the scoreboard
The Magic grabbed 62 rebounds to Boston's 50. Normally that is a good road sign. Here, the edge got offset by the three-point gap and turnover-points gap.
5. The late finish hid a messy shot profile
Orlando had fast-break pressure and foul-line volume, but the Magic went 12-of-43 from three. Boston was not perfect either, but 19 made threes and 22-of-22 at the line gave the Celtics cleaner math.