Celtics 5-Time All-Star Accuses Magic of Playing Dirty as Tensions Rise
Prior to Game 2, the Magic received accusations from a Celtics veteran on their style of play. Despite losing both games, Orlando has been physical and this continued in Game 2 with Kristaps Porzingis sustained an elbow from Goga Bitadze.
Advertisement
Even before this incident, 5-time All-Star Al Horford took exception to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's foul on Jayson Tatum in Game 1. Tatum hurt his wrist on the play and was sidelined for Game 2.
Boston Celtics center Al Horford is held back after he was knocked down following a collision with Orlando Magic guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope during the second quarter of game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden.Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
"There was something extra," Horford said following Game 1, per Sports Illustrated's Mason Williams. "There was a lot –– it was the second or third time that especially KCP went at him in that way."
Horford and Caldwell-Pope had a testy moment in Game 2 where the two had to be separated.
Early in the fourth quarter of Game 1, the Celtics had a play for Tatum. The star received the ball from Jrue Holiday after coming off a screen from Horford.
Advertisement
Unfortunately for the star forward, he was contested by Caldwell-Pope. It resulted in the former Duke star falling on his wrist after a physical contest from Caldwell-Pope. The officials reviewed what happened, and Caldwell-Pope received a Flagrant 1 foul.
Following the game, Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley did not think the veteran deserved the flagrant foul.
"I think two guys were going for the block, and the fall was probably what set it off more than anything," the Magic coach said, per Williams.
Given that the intensity in the NBA playoffs is different, the physicality from both teams tends to increase. Unfortunately for Boston, the hard foul resulted in an injury for Tatum.
Related: Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Sends Clear Paolo Banchero Message
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Did the Heat Miss Out on the Next Steph Curry?
Did the Heat Miss Out on the Next Steph Curry? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The pick is in -- and it came as quite a surprise to fans around the NBA world. On Wednesday night at the 2025 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Washington Wizards swooped in for a decorated, dazzling sharpshooter whose championship grit earned him increasingly feverish comparisons to a different member of the Warriors: Stephen Curry. Advertisement You know, the single greatest shooter of all time. Then, a trade flew in out of nowhere. The Wiz were actually sending this particular hot-handed star to the Utah Jazz. The only problem? All the late momentum had reportedly pointed directly toward the Miami Heat. When the dust had settled, Walter Clayton Jr. of the national champion Florida Gators was the next member of the Utah Jazz. Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. drives on Houston Cougars guard Mylik Wilson in the championship of the 2025 NCAA Tournament Final Four in San Antonio, Texas© Bob Donnan-Imagn Images When it was Miami's turn to select at No. 20, they opted for Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionus. To be totally fair, it was widely considered a surprise to see him still available in the back end of Round 1. Advertisement With every decision comes a handful of opportunity costs, however. Clayton came up in Lake Wales, Florida before ultimately achieving superstar status under coach Todd Golden in Gainesville. Able to play both guard positions, he averaged 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists on 44.8% shooting as a senior playing primarily as a point guard. Erik Spoelstra's Heat, in addition to playing ball just three hours southeast of Clayton's hometown, ranked near the bottom of the NBA with barely 110 points per contest last season. They snuck into the 2024-25 NBA Playoffs with the 10th and final seed in the East, crashing out via sweep against the Cleveland Cavaliers. You'd have thought the man who increasingly drew comparisons to the inhumanly clutch Chef Curry would have been an ideal fit to help out the starring trio of Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Andrew Wiggins in the scoring department. Advertisement It simply was not to be. Walter Clayton Jr. College Stats 2024-25 PPG: 18.3 RPG: 3.7 APG: 4.2 SPG: 1.2 BPG: 0.5 FG %: 44.8 3P %: 38.6 FT %: 87.5 2025 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player 2025 SEC Tournament MVP 2025 First Team All-American 2025 First Team All-SEC 2024 Second Team All-SEC 2023 MAAC Player of the Year 2023 First Team All-MAAC This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
New Boston Celtics big man Amari Williams on his future in the NBA
As things currently stand, the Boston Celtics find their frontcourt rotation a thin one, with multiple key big men having left the team via trade and free agency. But the Celtics did add a center to the team with the No. 46 pick of the 2025 NBA draft, former University of Kentucky big man Amari Williams. The Wildcat alum recently made his way to the City of Boston to sit down with the press and share his initial reaction to the team he was drafted to. Williams spoke on what role he thinks he is going to have in Boston in light of said center departures, as well as what got him to the Celtics as a player in the first place. The folks behind the "CLNS Media Boston Sports Network" YouTube channel put together a clip of the two way center's first interview as a Boston player for us to watch later. Check it out yourself. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network:
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Max Shulga discovered Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla pulls no punches on his first day
When it comes to the Boston Celtics, head coach Joe Mazzulla does not pull any punches with his players. And it took new Celtics two way shooting guard Max Shulga less than 24 hours to find that out for himself. Speaking to the media in a press conference to introduce all of Boston's incoming picks from the 2025 NBA draft, the Celtics' No. 57 overall pick took some time to talk with the local press assembled to get a first look at the new rookie class on their first day in the city. Shulga spoke at length about how Mazzula does not sugarcoat anything for his players, as well as what it is like for the former Utah State alum to reunite with Boston big man Neemias Queta, a teammate of his there during their overlapping college days. He also got into what it was like to meet his new Celtics teammates. Advertisement The folks behind the "CLNS Media Boston Sports Network" YouTube channel put together a clip of the talk for us to watch later. Check it out below! If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network: This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Max Shulga learned Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla pulls no punches fast
