The Boston Celtics labored early versus the Orlando Magic, going historically silent from 3-point range in the first half, but they entered another gear coming out of the break and dealt the fatal blow. Jayson Tatum posted 35 points on 10-of-16 shooting with 10 assists and eight rebounds, leading his team to the series-clinching 120-89 victory.

A controversial foul call on Paolo Banchero in the third quarter, which was his fifth, preceded a massive Boston surge. A tie game turned into a 21-point lead by the end of the frame, as the 2023 Rookie of the Year was confined to the bench for much of the half. Officiating decisions aside– Banchero got elbowed in the face by Jaylen Brown, but he was the one called for the foul– the reigning NBA champions exemplified impressive chemistry and toughness in the Game 5 victory.

They now move onto the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they will will meet either the New York Knicks or Detroit Pistons. Prevailing in any playoff series is going to elicit some degree of personal satisfaction, but there is only one outcome that would constitute a success for this franchise and fan base this season: a 19th banner.

That said, Boston is not getting ahead of itself. Brown, who scored 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting, succinctly and effectively expresses the reality of a long NBA postseason. “One round down,” the 2024 Finals MVP said, via ClutchPoints. “We on to the next!”

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The Celtics know how this goes

On the surface, Jaylen Brown is merely stating what happened. One has to go beyond the words themselves, though. He is conveying a feeling of relief. Although the Celtics had little trouble overall en route to their gentleman's sweep of the Magic, advancing past any playoff series is something this group does not take for granted.

Despite Boston's recent postseason success, especially in the early rounds, it knows how difficult it is to overcome the mental and physical grind during this time of year. Supreme concentration is required to avoid needless obstacles or costly setbacks. The champs appear to be dialed-in as they continue their title defense, one stage at a time.

The Celtics will watch closely as the Knicks and Pistons duke it out in Game 6 on Thursday night.