Celtics Crush Magic 120-89, Seal Conference Semifinals Spot After Game 5 Blowout

Boston Celtics Flex Their Muscle, Blow Past Magic in Game 5

The Celtics didn’t just win—they sent a message. In front of a roaring home crowd, Boston dismantled the Orlando Magic 120-89 to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference semifinals. If you watched the first quarter, you’d never guess the night would end with such a lopsided score. The Celtics missed their first eight three-point shots, struggling to find any rhythm from deep. The crowd held its breath every time the ball arced toward the basket and clanked out. But when it finally clicked, Boston looked unstoppable.

Jayson Tatum was the star everyone expected, pouring in 35 points. But it wasn’t just the scoring—he nearly racked up a triple-double, adding 10 assists and eight rebounds. Whenever Magic defenders crowded him, Tatum found open teammates, spreading the pressure and creating easy buckets. Jaylen Brown wasn’t far behind, dropping 23 points of his own and snagging six boards, wrecking Orlando’s perimeter defense with his speed.

Turning Point and Second-Half Explosion

The first half was tight, but Boston caught fire after halftime. The Celtics suddenly couldn’t miss—after their cold start, they drained 13 of 17 shots from downtown in the second half. That’s the kind of shooting spree that leaves opponents dazed. A huge momentum shift came from veteran Al Horford, who snuffed out Franz Wagner’s layup attempt with a fierce block in the third quarter. That play lit up both the bench and the fans, and it turned a manageable 10-point cushion into a full-on rout by the end of the period.

Franz Wagner tried to keep the Magic afloat, scoring 21 points. But the rest of Orlando’s young roster just couldn’t generate enough offense, especially when Boston started running in transition and setting up quick threes. The Magic looked rattled, missing open looks and failing to recover when the Celtics broke loose.

This series win means Boston gets a bit of a break before the next challenge. The next opponent isn’t set yet; they’ll face the winner of the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks series. Regardless, this game shows the Celtics are peaking at the right moment. With Tatum and Brown leading a red-hot offense and the defense closing ranks, the team’s fans—and probably their rivals, too—know Boston just raised the bar for the playoffs.