The Celtics looked a lot like themselves and the reigning champions, shaking off some of their recent struggles. Notably, they made plenty of 3-pointers while the Magic went cold from behind the arc. The end result was a 121-94 C’s victory over the Magic on Friday to shake off some concerning losses.
Entering Friday’s game, the Celtics endured their worst stretch of the season. They were 7-7 over their last 14 games, including red-flag performances like their double-digit loss to the Raptors. But Kristaps Porzingis dished some perspective on some of Boston’s recent woes.
“This honestly feels maybe much bigger just because it’s a big stage and we’re not supposed to lose,” Porzingis said. “But I think here the fans and everybody are a little bit spoiled because you don’t know how it is to be on an under-.500 team or really struggling, not being able to get wins.
“And of course the expectations are not the same. But still, as a player, you just bite your teeth and you go to work the next day. But here in a way, it’s an unbelievable privilege that we’re supposed to win every game.”
Of course, there’s a balance and Porzingis knows that. It’s not just that fans and pundits expect perfection every night. The Celtics simply weren’t playing high-quality basketball in those losses. Considering the C’s are again title contenders, that level won’t cut it come the playoffs. The regular season is also about building habits and the Celtics weren’t playing up their standards.
But it’s also true the Celtics have sky-high expectations — that’s what happens playing in a city like Boston. The C’s also boast one of the most talented rosters in the league as they cruised to the 2024 NBA championship, going 16-3 through the playoffs.
Friday’s victory was a sigh of relief from the Celtics’ contingent, but they’ve had some blowout wins over this recent stretch. The process is about Boston stringing together multiple strong outings in a row to get into a rhythm. That’s been a challenge. The Magic were also shorthanded Friday compared to the Celtics, who were again at full strength.
The C’s don’t have much time to rest as part of a strenuous January schedule. The Hawks are in town for a 7 p.m. Saturday game at TD Garden — they’ve already downed the C’s in Boston this season. Then it’s a four-game road trip out West, where the Celtics will be featured prominently against tough foes. So they’ll look to string together a strong stretch after some January worries.
“We go into every game almost as a favorite, if not every game,” Porzingis said. “So of course it’s a weight that we have to carry or a little bit of pressure that we have to carry. But that’s expected with this. We have to take it face-on and keep building and keep making everybody — the betting companies and everybody — think that we’re going to be the favorites in every game we go into.”
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