The Boston Celtics faced off against the Orlando Magic in an electrifying first quarter, showcasing a series of impressive three-point shots and key plays. The dramatic scene played out at TD Garden, where the two teams battled to get the upper hand early on in their Atlantic Division showdown.
Rookie Paolo Banchero started the scoring by splashing in an eye-popping 25-foot three-point launcher to establish the tone early. His shot was nicely set up by Cory Joseph, who was instrumental in helping run the offense and shift the momentum. Not long after that, Joseph found his groove. He drilled a 26-foot three-pointer, the result of an assist from Franz Wagner that left him wide open.
The Celtics responded quickly. Jaylen Brown countered with his own 25-foot three-pointer, beautifully set up by Al Horford. Both squads proved their attacking prowess with a barrage of distance attempts. Down to six teams, they swapped baskets in a heavyweight fight to seize control.
It wasn’t as simple as riding the wave of enthusiasm, as not every shot was a hit. Kristaps Porzingis hoisted a few attempts from deep. He clanged a wide open 31-foot jumper off the front of the rim and bricked another 29 footer. Wendell Carter Jr. followed suit with a choppy 17-foot mid-range jumper. This key juncture showcased the tension that permeated both offenses as they searched for any potential scoring openings.
As the quarter progressed, Paolo Banchero faced a setback, missing one of his two free throw attempts after being fouled by Jrue Holiday. This was a big moment because this is where the Celtics could have panicked and instead, they regrouped and set about trying to build the lead back up. The Celtics’ Derrick White made the most of his trip to the line, knocking down a pair of free throws with 4.8 seconds left.
He took Derrick White’s spot, providing tons of new, athletic life into the Celtics’ starting five. At the same time, Wendell Carter Jr. came in for Cory Joseph, hoping to have a quick effect.
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