Boston, MA — Jayson Tatum delivered an impressive performance, scoring 30 points as the Boston Celtics triumphed over the Orlando Magic with a score of 121-94 on Friday night.

With Duke standout Cooper Flagg present in the stands, Tatum, who also played for the Blue Devils, showcased his talent by making 12 out of 21 shots. This outing was particularly crucial for the Celtics as they aimed to recover from a recent stretch of poor shooting. In a game following the No. 3 Duke team’s matchup at Boston College scheduled for Saturday, the Celtics executed a solid offensive strategy.

Displaying extraordinary efficiency, Boston achieved a season-high shooting percentage of 61% in the first half, ending the first 24 minutes with a 12-point advantage. For the game overall, the Celtics shot 53%, including a remarkable 46% from beyond the arc, leading by as much as 27 points in the later quarters. Complementing Tatum’s big night, Kristaps Porzingis contributed 23 points, hitting 7 of 10 attempts, while Jaylen Brown added 20 points to the tally.

On the Magic side, Cole Anthony emerged as the leading scorer with 23 points, followed closely by Paolo Banchero, who finished with 21 points.

Noteworthy moments from the game included an incident where Banchero was accidentally struck in the face by Porzingis during a block attempt. After receiving attention from the medical staff, Banchero managed to continue playing despite the brief disruption.

The Celtics began the game with strong intensity and controlled the pace effectively—something they had struggled with in recent games where they lost seven out of the last 14. This assertiveness set the tone for the match right from the outset.

A pivotal point occurred when Orlando quickly narrowed the gap to 66-59 by scoring the first five points of the third quarter. In response, Boston launched an 8-0 scoring spree, ultimately outscoring the Magic 30-22 in that quarter to assert their dominance in the game.

Significantly, prior to this game, the Celtics had been at the bottom of the league in 3-point shooting, hitting only 28% in their last five matchups. Against the Magic, however, they found their groove, shooting 9 of 15 from 3-point range in the first half alone, and finishing the game with 17 successful shots out of 37 attempts from deep.

Looking ahead, the Magic will face the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, while the Celtics are set to host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.