The Boston Celtics (5-6) stepped up in the fourth quarter and got their revenge against the Orlando Magic (4-6) with a 111-107 win on November 10.
Here are the key stats and the top performers of the game.
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Jaylen Brown BOS SF 27 PTS | 5 REB | 1 STL | 36.5 FPS
JB scored 30 or more points in five of his previous six games. He came up a little short against the Magic but still averages 28 points per game, the best of his career and the tenth highest in the league.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
Paolo Banchero ORL PF 28 PTS | 6 REB | 4 AST | 35.2 FPS
Banchero struggled in their previous game against the Celtics, putting up his second-lowest point total this season with 15. But he got back on track today, taking over in the fourth quarter with 14 big points for his third 28-point performance of the season. He was also flawless at the foul line, converting 10-of-10, but his three-point shooting remains a weakness.
SCORING MACHINES:
Derrick White BOS SG 21 PTS | 3-9 3PT | 4-6 FT | 37.6 FPS
D-White had a problematic scoring stretch to start the season, but he’s slowly finding his rhythm, shooting 38% or better from the field with at least 15 attempts in both games against the Magic. Defensively, he’s a reliable presence, posting his fourth consecutive game with three steals.
Franz Wagner ORL SF 20 PTS | 1-4 3PT | 9-10 FT | 39.3 FPS
Franz had his worst shooting performance of the season, but he compensated with a near-perfect showing at the line to finish with his eighth 20-point outing in ten games.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Payton Pritchard BOS PG 5 PTS | 5 REB | 5 AST | 15.5 FPS
Pritchard erupted for a season high in points and three-pointers in their previous game, also against the Magic, but he struggled today, converting 1-of-6 from three and snapping an eight-game double-digit scoring streak.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT
Goga Bitadze ORL C 2 REB | 1 STL | 3 BLK | 17.9 FPS
Bitadze finished with 3 blocks for the second time this season.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Anfernee Simons BOS SG 25 PTS | 8-13 FG | 5-8 3PT | 28.7 FPS
Simons started strong, dropping all of his points in the opening half. He also tied his season-high in points today with his most efficient scoring performance of the year. Last season with the Blazers, he achieved the feat 23 times
THE X-FACTOR:
Luka Garza BOS C 16 PTS | 8 REB | 3 AST | 32.1 FPS
Luka stepped up from the bench in two games vs the Magic, posting his best scoring and rebounding game today after recording a season-high in blocks in the previous one.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Jalen Suggs ORL PG 20 PTS | 8 REB | 3 STL | 41.6 FPS
Suggs came up big and finished with his best scoring and rebounding game of the season. He was excellent in both games against the Celtics, going 11-of-16 from the field, hitting 6-of-10 from deep and 6-of-7 from the line.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Desmond Bane 9 PTS | 5 REB | 6 AST
Bane delivered his third 20-point game of the season in their previous matchup against the Celtics, but he was quiet today, finishing under 10 points for the fourth time in his last five games. He’s yet to fully adjust to the Magic’s system — in each of his last four seasons with the Grizzlies, he averaged at least 18 points.
