The Boston Celtics sat back and relaxed Tuesday night, awaiting the result of the first play-in tournament duel, which secured the reigning champions a first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic.
It’ll be the battle of the Blue Devils as Jayson Tatum and Paolo Banchero, both Duke alums, will meet in the playoffs for the first time in their careers. Tatum, alongside co-star Jaylen Brown, will embark on his eighth Larry O’Brien Trophy chase in as many pro seasons. Meanwhile, Banchero, alongside his partner in crime, Franz Wagner, will aim to secure Orlando’s first playoff series win since the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals.
“They switch. They have a lot of great defenders. They play to their style that is beneficial to them on the defensive end,” Tatum said of the Magic during Wednesday’s practice, per CLNS Media. “They kind of funnel you to the paint, and they’re a big team. They have a lot of guys they can throw at you, especially guys off the bench. You know, guys (that can) make it difficult on the offensive end. So it’s something we gotta be ready for.”
MORE CELTICS
Here’s the full first-round schedule for Boston and Orlando:
Game 1, April 20: Magic at Celtics, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2, April 23: Magic at Celtics, 7 p.m. ET, NBCSB/TNT
Game 3, April 25: Celtics at Magic, 7 p.m. ET, NBCSB/ESPN
Game 4, April 27: Celtics at Magic, 7 p.m. ET, NBCSB/TNT
Game 5, April 29:* Magic at Celtics, TBD, TBD
Game 6, May 1:* Celtics at Magic, TBD, TBD
Game 7, May 3:* Magic at Celtics, TBD, TBD
Story continues below advertisement
It’s been a while since the Celtics have run into any serious trouble in the playoffs, dating back to their conference finals disaster against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat two years ago. Boston breezed past every team that crossed its path last postseason, including Miami, to secure its date with the Dallas Mavericks. Tatum defeated Kyrie Irving, another former Blue Devil, as the leader in points, rebounds and assists in the Finals. This time, Tatum and the majority of the roster have the experience of reaching the mountaintop, so the only thing in their way — for now — is Banchero and the No.7 seed Magic.
