For much of the first half Tuesday night, it didn't look like the Boston Celtics would be eliminating the Orlando Magic and advancing in the NBA Playoffs. The Magic's suffocating defense stymied Boston's offensive attack,

Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum, left, drives past Orlando Magic's Anthony Black during the first half in game 1 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) AP

In a series that forced the Celtics to shift away from their usual style, the Magic never solved the Tatum problem. He slammed the door on them with 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in Game 5 after dominating crunch time of Game 4 in a 37-point-14-rebound outing.