Jayson Tatum Shines in Return, but Celtics Fall to Magic in Game 3

Jayson Tatum made an impressive return from injury, pouring in 36 points for the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. However, despite his standout performance, the Celtics fell 95–93 to the Orlando Magic, cutting their series lead to 2–1.

🏀 Turnovers Prove Costly for Celtics

While Tatum’s scoring gave Boston a much-needed boost, the Celtics were undone by their careless ball handling, committing 21 turnovers—seven of them by Tatum himself. Orlando capitalized on nearly every mistake, turning Celtics’ errors into fast-break opportunities and momentum swings.

“You can’t win playoff games giving away possessions like that,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said postgame.

🌟 Magic’s Young Stars Deliver

Orlando’s rising stars rose to the occasion, with Franz Wagner scoring 32 points and Paolo Banchero adding 29. Their relentless drives to the basket and clutch shot-making in the fourth quarter helped the Magic hold off a late Celtics surge to clinch the win in front of a raucous home crowd.

📅 What’s Next?

The series now heads toward a critical Game 4, where Boston will look to clean up their mistakes and Orlando will try to even the series. Momentum is starting to shift, and both teams know the next game could define the outcome of this playoff battle.

📰 Final Thoughts

Tatum’s return was heroic, but the Celtics must regroup quickly if they want to avoid letting this series slip away. Meanwhile, the Magic have proven they are ready for the big stage and won’t back down easily.
Can the Celtics bounce back in Game 4, or will the Magic level the series?
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