Magic coach’s complaint about officiating validates Celtics’ approach originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
We’ve reached the gamesmanship portion of the Boston Celtics’ first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic.
After Boston’s 95-93 loss to Orlando in Game 3, Jaylen Brown shared some pointed comments about the Magic’s physical play, which included three flagrant fouls in three games and a Cole Anthony takedown of Brown that dislocated the Celtics star’s finger.
“There might be a fight break out or something,” Brown said Friday night. “Because it’s starting to feel like it’s not even basketball, and the refs are not controlling the environment. So, it is what it is.
“If you want to fight it out, we can do that. We can fight to see who goes to the second round.”
While the Magic ended their flagrant foul streak in Sunday’s Game 4, they continued their physical style of play — but this time it cost them. Orlando committed 24 personal fouls, resulting in the Celtics making a season-high 30 free throws on 32 attempts en route to a 107-98 win.
After the game, Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley decided to play his own officiating card.
“We were attacking the basket the exact same way,” Mosley told reporters. “Now, we didn’t knock them down when we got there. We had to understand that the calls, the whistle was going to head in that direction after what’s been said. So we have to continue to just be smart there, hold our ground, get positioning earlier and make sure we show our hands.”
Mosley apparently feels that Brown’s comments influenced the officiating in Game 4 and led to Sunday’s discrepancy in free throws (Orlando made just 14 of 20 free throw attempts). So, this appeared to be Mosley’s attempt to lobby the refs ahead of Tuesday’s Game 5 and swing the foul margin closer to the Magic’s favor.
“I always look at our ability to attack the rim. … Them shooting, let’s just say, 26 free throws before the back stretch; you look at those margins and they’re very similar attacks, but it’s not the same foul count,” Mosley said. “Whether that’s the physicality part of it or not, it’s just something we look at.”
Campaigning for calls is par for the course in the NBA playoffs, so Mosley’s comments aren’t too surprising. But they are a validation of Boston’s response to Orlando’s physicality.
After multiple hard fouls by the Magic in the first three games, the Celtics easily could have responded with some message-sending fouls of their own. Instead, they maintained their composure and struck the balance of matching Orlando’s physicality without racking up fouls — especially down the stretch.
The Celtics committed just two personal fouls in the fourth quarter, playing aggressive defense without fouling with the game in the balance. The Magic, meanwhile, racked up eight fouls, leading to 14 free throw attempts for Boston, which made all 14 to ice Game 4.
Jayson Tatum was the primary beneficiary, repeatedly getting to the basket late in the game to make 9 of 9 free throw attempts in the fourth. He finished the night 14-for-14 from the charity stripe with 37 points and a spot in the NBA history books.
“Just poise. Poise. Having an understanding of your environment,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Tatum after the game. “Obviously, some shot-making there, but at the same time, physical drives and getting to the free-throw line.”
The Magic are a very physical team, but Boston’s ability to maintain its poise is a big reason why it owns a 3-1 series lead, and could be moving on to Round 2 as soon as Tuesday. Tip-off for Game 5 at TD Garden is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
Magic coach’s complaint about officiating validates Celtics’ approach
We’ve reached the gamesmanship portion of the Boston Celtics’ first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic.
After Boston’s 95-93 loss to Orlando in Game 3, Jaylen Brown shared some pointed comments about the Magic’s physical play, which included three flagrant fouls in three games and a Cole Anthony takedown of Brown that dislocated the Celtics star’s finger.
“There might be a fight break out or something,” Brown said Friday night. “Because it’s starting to feel like it’s not even basketball, and the refs are not controlling the environment. So, it is what it is.
SIGN UP HERE “If you want to fight it out, we can do that. We can fight to see who goes to the second round.”
While the Magic ended their flagrant foul streak in Sunday’s Game 4, they continued their physical style of play — but this time it cost them. Orlando committed 24 personal fouls, resulting in the Celtics making a season-high 30 free throws on 32 attempts en route to a 107-98 win.
After the game, Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley decided to play his own officiating card.
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“We were attacking the basket the exact same way,” Mosley told reporters. “Now, we didn’t knock them down when we got there. We had to understand that the calls, the whistle was going to head in that direction after what’s been said. So we have to continue to just be smart there, hold our ground, get positioning earlier and make sure we show our hands.”
Mosley apparently feels that Brown’s comments influenced the officiating in Game 4 and led to Sunday’s discrepancy in free throws (Orlando made 14 of 20 free throw attempts). So, this appeared to be his attempt to lobby the refs ahead of Tuesday’s Game 5 and swing the foul margin closer to the Magic’s favor.
“I always look at our ability to attack the rim. … Them shooting, let’s just say, 26 free throws before the back stretch; you look at those margins and they’re very similar attacks, but it’s not the same foul count,” Mosley said. “Whether that’s the physicality part of it or not, it’s just something we look at.”
Campaigning for calls is par for the course in the NBA playoffs, so Mosley’s comments aren’t too surprising. But they are a validation of Boston’s response to Orlando’s physicality.
After multiple hard fouls by the Magic in the first three games, the Celtics easily could have responded with some message-sending fouls of their own. Instead, they maintained their composure and struck the balance of matching Orlando’s physicality without racking up fouls — especially down the stretch.
The Celtics committed just two personal fouls in the fourth quarter, playing aggressive defense without fouling with the game in the balance. The Magic, meanwhile, racked up eight fouls, leading to 14 free throw attempts for Boston — which made all 14.
Jayson Tatum was the primary beneficiary, repeatedly getting to the basket late in the game to make nine fourth-quarter free throws. He finished the night 14-for-14 from the charity stripe with 37 points and a spot in the NBA history books.
“Just poise. Poise. Having an understanding of your environment,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Tatum after the game. “Obviously, some shot-making there, but at the same time, physical drives and getting to the free-throw line.”
The Magic are a very physical team, but Boston’s ability to maintain its poise is a big reason why it owns a 3-1 series lead, and could be moving on to Round 2 as soon as Tuesday. Tip-off for Game 5 at TD Garden is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
