The Orlando Magic surrendered the fewest three-point makes and attempts per game in the NBA this season. They yielded 31.4 tries from behind the arc. Opponents converted on just 11.4 of those, per NBA.com. The Boston Celtics can personally attest to the restrictive nature of the former's stingy perimeter defense.
The Association's reigning champions are launching nearly 50 threes per contest. However, Orlando limited them to two of their five lowest three-point attempt rates. In a victory vs. the Celtics in December, the Magic held their first-round foe to 33 shots from beyond the arc, their fewest three-point tries this season. Boston reached the win column despite only taking 37 triples in a January rematch.
Following the Celtics' first practice after learning they'll face the Magic in the opening round of the playoffs, Jayson Tatum shared his outlook on the keys to Orlando's three-point defense with Hardwood Houdini.
"They switch. They have a lot of great defenders, and they play to their style that's beneficial to them on the defensive end. They funnel you into the paint, and they're a big team," said Tatum. "They have a lot of guys that can go at you -- especially guys off the bench -- that make it difficult for [you] at the offensive end. [It's] something that we've just gotta be ready for."
The Celtics know what's required to combat the Magic's elite three-point defense
As for what Boston must do to find long-range success against Orlando, Joe Mazzulla told Hardwood Houdini, "The key to countering it is [to] take the shots that they give you and fight for the best shot. They have a lot of defensive versatility, change their coverages up, and they're really physical at the point of attack.
"So, to me, the most important thing is making sure we're just as physical on the offensive end, owning our space, and fighting for the best shot we can each possession."
Tatum also offered his perspective on what it will take, conveying, "Finding things in our actions in our offense where we create advantages; that's very important. And sometimes, you've gotta beat your matchup. That's part of what the playoffs are about as well."
The Magic losing Jalen Suggs to a season-ending knee injury will make that challenge easier for the Celtics. However, the former's length and physicality will still present a problem. Orlando's starting front-court, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr., are each listed at six-foot-ten.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley relies heavily on that trio to wear down opponents and force turnovers. The Magic forced 16.2 giveaways per game in the regular season, the second-most in the league, per NBA.com. That was crucial to aiding an offense that struggles to produce points in the half-court. Orlando ranked 28th in scoring, mustering only 105.4 points per contest.
So when it comes to Boston not fueling its opposition's offense, with poor shot selection and turnovers propping up the Magic's most significant weakness, Mazulla noted, "At the end of the day, it's about getting the right shot [and] getting the best shot depending upon what their coverage is, what their matchups are, and handling the physicality. And the goal is to get the best shot we can every time down, regardless of what that is."
If the Celtics achieve that consistently in this series, it's hard to believe Orlando will overcome that four times and shock the basketball world.