The Celtics didn’t deliver a flashy win on Sunday night in Orlando. Instead, they had to grind out a tough 48-minute defensive battle against the Magic, eventually pulling off a 107-98 victory to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
With the score knotted at 91 and just over four minutes remaining, the Celtics seized control thanks largely to Jayson Tatum. The star forward posted 37 points on 10-of-25 shooting, along with 14 rebounds. It wasn’t his most efficient outing, reflecting the team’s overall struggles: Boston shot just 43.6% from the floor and a cold 29.0% from three-point range. Jaylen Brown added 21 points, though he managed only 6-of-16 shooting, while Boston’s bench combined for a mere six points on 2-of-5 shooting. However, Tatum turned it up when it mattered most, scoring 16 of his points in the fourth quarter to lift the Celtics to the win.
The victory sparked an unusual moment at Orlando’s Kia Center: as the final seconds ticked away, the visiting Tatum was serenaded with loud “M-V-P” chants from the crowd. Such admiration on the road is rare for Tatum, especially given that he wasn’t named a finalist for this season’s MVP award a snub that has fueled debates over whether he’s an underrated superstar.
“MVP” chants for Jayson Tatum at the Kia Center.
He’s up to 37 points. pic.twitter.com/sw83hc9KBT
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) April 28, 2025
At least one person has no doubts about Tatum’s value: Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. “He always tells me he loves me,” Tatum shared with GQ. “It could be during practice, or in the middle of a playoff game he’ll pull me aside during a timeout and say, ‘Just want you to know I love you, man.’”
Given Tatum’s Game 4 performance, that affection is clearly well deserved.
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