Celtics Edge Magic In Thrilling Playoff Opener

The Boston Celtics narrowly defeated the Orlando Magic 112-109 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday night. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 32 points, while Paolo Banchero's 28-point effort wasn't enough for Orlando in the final minutes.

The game is trending nationally as fans debate the controversial no-call on Jaylen Brown's potential game-sealing block with 8 seconds remaining. Replays showed Brown may have fouled Franz Wagner, but officials upheld their decision after review.

TD Garden erupted when Derrick White hit a clutch three-pointer with 1:12 left to put Boston ahead for good. The Magic had multiple chances to tie but missed three attempts in the final possession.

This marks Boston's seventh straight playoff win over Orlando dating back to 2010. The series continues Wednesday night in Boston, where the Celtics are 34-7 this season. Magic coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters postgame: "We'll learn from these moments - that's what young teams do."

NBA fans flooded social media with reactions to the physical matchup, which featured 18 lead changes. League officials confirmed they will review the final sequence as part of standard postseason protocol. The intense game drew a 4.2 overnight rating, ESPN's highest first-round opener since 2019.

With both teams among the league's top defenses, analysts predict a grueling series. The Celtics now hold a 62% series win probability according to ESPN's Basketball Power Index. Magic star Banchero tweeted after the game: "Back to work tomorrow. This ain't over."