The first two games in the Celtics-Magic series were very physical, and Boston enjoyed every minute of it.
One aspect the C’s didn’t like was when Jayson Tatum suffered a wrist injury in Game 1 last Sunday. Things continued to escalate at TD Garden on Wednesday night when Kristaps Porzingis suffered a cut on his forehead and left the game before coming back to help Boston win Game 2.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla offered an on-brand reaction to Porzingis’ laceration, and that attitude bled over to his players.
“It’s the playoffs, baby,” Pritchard told reporters, per MassLive’s Brian Robb. “That’s what it is, so we knew what they were going to do. That’s what I told Al (Horford) after, I’m like, ‘It’s just fun. This is basketball now.’”
Horford wasn’t pleased with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s hard foul on Tatum, nor did he appreciate what appeared to be retaliation from KCP on him in Game 2. But Porzingis exemplified how the Celtics will continue to approach the best-of-seven series.
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Boston won without Tatum on Wednesday night, and his status for Game 3 on Friday remains up in the air. What is certain is that the Magic will continue to fight for their playoff lives when the series heads to the Kia Center.
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