Jaylen Brown, Celtics rebound with blowout by Magic

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 30 points on 12-for-21 shooting, while Brown, who looked disengaged at times against the Raptors, played with guts by recording 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals to help the Celtics to pull away. second half.

Against the league’s no. 2 defense, the Celtics shot 52.5 percent from the field (42 of 80) and made 17 of 37 3-pointers. Kristaps Porzingis added 23 points, while Derrick White added 12. The Magic trailed for the final 43 minutes and mustered just 40 points in the second half.

Cole Anthony led the Magic with 23 points, while Paolo Banchero added 21 on 20 shots.

After a first half where he focused on defense, Brown returned to form in the third period. After the Magic cut the deficit to 9 by scoring the first 5 points of the period, the Celtics responded with a 14-2 run to take an 80-61 lead after a Tatum layup with 7:34 left in the third.

When Tatum got a rest, Brown took over — scoring 13 points over the final 4:37, including all eight of his free throw attempts. Brown played with gusto, taking anyone the Magic offered off the dribble to create buckets or free-throw opportunities, then added a 3-pointer for an 89-71 lead.

Defensively, the Celtics began to get consistent stops, protect the rim and compete with 3-pointers. Banchero, playing in his fourth game since missing two months with an oblique strain, was forced to work for his points inside. In one sequence, Porzingis raked him in the face after a shot attempt, and he lay on the floor for several minutes with an eye injury. He eventually returned to the game, but the Celtics limited his offensive impact with their offensive defense.

Boston’s starting lineup has struggled recently, posting a minus-4.0 record and 5-5 over 10 games. Mazzulla said last week that the lineup of Tatum, Brown, White, Jrue Holiday and Porzingis had played about a third of the minutes together compared to this time last season, primarily because of injury.

He gave that quintet plenty of time together on the floor in the first half, Tatum playing 22 of the 24 minutes while Brown played 17, while the remaining three played at least 15. The result was a 66-54 halftime lead as Tatum led the Celtics with 20 points and Porzingis added 14.

There was less of an emphasis on 3-point shooting, as Boston attempted just 15 threes in the first half — a far cry from the season average of 50 per. match. Tatum and Porzingis each attacked the paint, while Brown played with more energy and drive than Wednesday.

He scored 7 points on 3-for-5 shooting, but added 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. He collected those steals on consecutive Orlando possessions, and when he couldn’t collect the ball as the Celtics ran down the floor on a fast-break opportunity, Mazzulla applauded his effort.

Banchero led the Magic at halftime with 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting. The Celtics sent several double teams forward and he was able to get to the free throw line five times. Anthony added 13 points as the Magic stayed within single digits until a late second period run by the hosts.

After Wednesday’s disappointing defeat, focus and energy were not a problem on Friday. The Celtics featured Porzingis early on a series of post-ups, and he scored 9 of the first 17 points.

Orlando entered the game ranked second in the NBA in points allowed, and the Magic made a concerted effort to drive the Celtics away from the 3-point line. Boston responded by attacking the paint and shooting select 3-pointers. Porzingis scored 11 points and the struggling White added 7 for a 35-28 lead after one period.

The Magic were severely shorthanded, missing Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Gary Harris, but they beat the Celtics last month without Wagner and Banchero. Coach Jamahl Mosley used 10 different players in the first half, with Banchero and Cole Anthony keeping Orlando close.

Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.