Celtics' championship aspirations aided by Magic team that brought out Boston's best

As the playoffs progress, it will become increasingly evident that the Boston Celtics are better off for having faced the Orlando Magic in the first round.

One can do without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope grabbing Jayson Tatum's wrist, leading to a bone bruise Joe Mazzulla said was severe. However, their physicality, including on those unwelcomed flagrant fouls, brought something out of the Celtics.

"[It was] probably exactly what we needed," stated Tatum after pouring in a game-high 35 points in the series finale. "[A] good test [in the] first round. A couple [of] guys really banged up and dealing with some things, but showing that mental toughness of getting up and getting ready for each game and doing whatever it takes. Whatever the game calls for, and figuring out a way to win. That's all that matters this time of the year. And as a group, we've been through it all, and we showed it and proved it this series, and [I'm] looking forward to the next one."

A young Magic team with, putting it politely, a lackluster offense, challenged the champions as much mentally as they did physically. They forced the more talented and experienced team to maintain focus while under attack.

Boston responded in a fashion fitting of a team that's reached the NBA's summit.

"You could just tell their experience showed," voiced Paolo Banchero after the Celtics outscored the Magic 16-7 in the final four minutes of Game 4, setting themselves up for a closeout contest at TD Garden. "They weren't rattled at all. They were making big plays on both sides. Offensive rebounds. They were just really sharp, I would say, in those last four minutes."

In Game 5, the hosts had to shake off a first half that resembled their Game 3 loss. Again, it was a parade of second-chance points and Celtics turnovers propping up one of the NBA's lowest-scoring offenses.

Orlando parlayed 10 offensive rebounds into a 9-0 advantage in second-chance scoring. The Magic converted nine turnovers by Boston into 11 points and had a 12-6 edge in fast-break scoring.

The Celtics had to deal with those losses on the margins while struggling from beyond the arc. Boston went 0/6 from three-point range in the opening 24 minutes.

But, as champions do, the Celtics figured out how to persevere. When Banchero exited with five fouls early in the third quarter, a run already in progress turned into a series-ending avalanche.

Boston outscored Orlando 36-13 in a backbreaking third frame. At the heart of that was taking better care of the ball. The Celtics didn't commit a turnover in the third period. That allowed them to control the game and play on their terms.

What this led to was Jayson Tatum authoring his latest chapter of playoff brilliance. His aggressive approach translated to 16 points and six assists in the first half despite not attempting a three.

After intermission, a triple off the dribble over the outstretched arm of Banchero, with 10:22 remaining, represented the start of a three-point barrage from a team that hadn't made any before that shot left his hand.

Boston made 5/8 threes in the quarter, including that first one from Tatum, who registered 13 of his game-high 35 points in the frame. The hosts shot 64.7 percent from the field and added nine points at the charity stripe.

Meanwhile, the Magic went 0/11 from behind the arc as the Celtics held them to 27.3 percent shooting. One trip to the free-throw line, six second-chance points, and minimal transition opportunities made it evident that their season was in its final stage.

The hosts led 83-62 entering the final 12 minutes. They kept their foot on the gas, outpacing Orlando 37-27 in the fourth quarter. In the second half, Boston outscored the visitors 73-40, punching their ticket to the second round of the playoffs without requiring a return to the Magic Kingdom.

Per NBC Sports Boston's stats guru, Dick Lipe, after trailing 49-47 at the break, the Celtics' 31-point win is the largest ever in a playoff game after halftime.

The Celtics sharpened by first-round bout with Magic

"We needed this team to bring the toughness and physicality out of us for the next series," Joe Mazzulla told his team in the locker room after their series-ending victory.

At the podium, he discussed with Hardwood Houdini the benefits moving forward after dealing with Orlando's physicality and ability to limit Boston to 31.2 threes per contest, ranking 11th in that category this postseason.

"They had to deal with our physicality as well, and they had to deal with our defense," noted Mazzulla. "I thought that was the theme of the series: the trenches and the physicality there. Every series, every game presents lessons, you have to take those lessons if you're fortunate [enough] to move on. So, there's a lot that we can learn from this series, and we've got to be ready for whoever we play against."

Another critical benefit of ending this best-of-seven efficiently is buying rest for Jaylen Brown. Battling through a knee injury, he finished with 23 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

Despite saying it took him about a half to "get his body right," the four-time All-Star remained at the forefront of the Celtics' pace-pushing efforts.

"It was important," Brown told Hardwood Houdini about the impact of pushing the tempo. "They wanted to slow us down, and they wanted to force us into one-on-one matchups, so we had to make plays. I think that's what it came down to. They were daring me and JT to beat them one-on-one. And JT accepted it, and I accepted it, and we made plays."

Brown added, "Our pace definitely helps with that because it's harder to guard when you have pace. But even if the game slows down, I think we still have the capacity to make plays. So, I think it was a good overall learning experience from this series. We take some of this into the next [round]."

The Celtics' efficiently ending this series earns them added rest

While Boston handled business on its parquet on Tuesday, the Detroit Pistons prevailed 106-103 vs. the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. That sends their series back to the Motor City with New York leading 3-2. It also gives the Celtics more time to recharge before Round 2.

While that's beneficial to Brown, Jrue Holiday, who missed the last two games against Orlando due to a hamstring strain, and a team that went through a taxing first round, Mazzulla warns that their time off can prove a double-edged sword.

"It can be good, it can be bad. We'll exit the arena for a couple [of] days, and that could be good," expressed Boston's bench boss. "Take the days that we need, and even without knowing the opponent, there's stuff that we have got to get better at."

It helps that the Celtics were sharpened by what Brown labeled "a great learning experience."

Specifically, he cited "having to be physical. Having to get in the trenches, rebound, flagrant fouls, play through it. Physicality, play through it, and still find ways to win."

The Knicks aren't nearly as physical as the Magic and have weaker defenders like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to target, as Boston did in a regular-season sweep of New York.

Like Orlando, Detroit does an excellent job limiting opponents' three-point attempts. The Knicks are taking the third-fewest threes per game in the postseason (30.2), per NBA.com.

However, the Pistons -- like the Magic -- struggle from beyond the arc -- they're making the second-fewest threes per contest in the playoffs [10.4]. And Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr., and anyone Detroit brings in from its second unit will represent seals that the Celtics' offense won't be bashful about attacking.

And if Boston advances and faces the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, should the NBA's reigning champions return to the Finals, what they had to fight through against Orlando tapped into a resolve and an ability to win without much help from beyond the arc.

Prevailing against the Magic was less challenging, but that's part of what made this first-round test an ideal environment to prepare for the battles that may and likely are necessary to get back to the mountaintop.