The defending champions began their playoff run with a win, but also with a scare.
The Boston Celtics took care of business in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. After a competitive first couple of quarters, Boston pulled away in the second half to secure a 103-86 win and a 1-0 series lead.
While Boston ended up cruising to a win on its home floor, it wasn’t always a fun environment inside TD Garden. In the fourth quarter, Jayson Tatum went up for a finish and was fouled in mid-air before landing awkwardly as he tried to break his fall with his hands.
Tatum stayed down for a couple of minutes working out his right wrist as the officials went to review the play, eventually handing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope a flagrant foul. Tatum went to the foul line and missed both free throws, drawing even more concern from the Boston crowd.
However, a few possessions later, he nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. After the game, Tatum reassured everyone that he would be good to go moving forward.
“I just landed on it,” Tatum said. “It was throbbing for a second. It just kinda went away.”
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Despite Tatum’s injury scare, his team managed to escape Game 1 unscathed and is ready for Game 2. Tatum finished the afternoon with 17 points and 14 rebounds against a stout Orlando defense.
As the series moves forward, it would be no surprise to see Tatum have some big games. While the Celtics should have no problem beating the Magic in the first round, they will need Tatum at full health in the rounds that follow.
With the Celtics looking to repeat as NBA champions, their star’s health will be key.
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