The Boston Celtics led the Orlando Magic 21-2 with five and a half minutes left in the first quarter, Celtics guard Marcus Smart already knocking down three triples thanks to Boston’s terrific ball-movement and fellow wing Jaylen Brown showing off his ambidexterity with nifty left-handed finishes.
Veteran forward Gordon Hayward, meanwhile, continued to move well around the court, further displaying the athleticism that was stolen from him after suffering a severe leg injury in 2017.
Their ball-pressure, a primary point of emphasis for Celtics head coach Brad Stevens throughout training camp, was impressive and no doubt aided by the strong defensive play of their perimeter group — Smart, Brown and forward Jayson Tatum.
Boston led Orlando, 62-34, at halftime after their second unit — buoyed by rookies Carsen Edwards and Grant Williams, along with fan favorite Semi Ojeleye — allowed the Celtics to sustain a significant gap until the starters returned.
Brown and Tatum began trading drives, steals and transition dunks, showing every bit of the growth they flashed this offseason and star potential they’ve held since being drafted by Boston.
Midway through the third quarter, Celtics rookie Romeo Langford would make his NBA debut after missing Boston’s Summer League exhibitions and the preseason opener. He scored quickly after hearing his number called but would only score two points in 11 minutes, going 1-3 from the field.
Another interesting note, regarding the team’s center battle, is that centers Robert Williams III and Vincent Poirier played beside each other on Friday night while second-year center Daniel Theis would start.
A decent defender and rim-protector, especially when he’s not outmatches physically, Theis also is armed with a three-point shot that his fellow centers don’t have locked into their repertoire just yet.
Stevens, however, would point to Theis’ awareness as the trait that could keep him ahead of the competition.
The Celtics would ultimately defeat the Magic, who played without center Nikola Vucevic and eventually shooting guard Evan Fournier, 100-75 to go to 2-0 in the preseason.
Boston was missing All-Star point guard Kemba Walker, who missed Friday’s game with a sore knee. However, Tatum (15 points), Brown (11 point), Smart (14 points) and G. Williams (10 points) would help pick up the scoring slack, all scoring in double-figures as the Celtics defeated the Magic, 100-75.
