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Kendrick Perkins cited Kevin Garnett while crediting Celtics’ Game 2 win
"We saw that with Jaylen Brown."
Kendrick Perkins on the Celtics’ Game 2 win: The Celtics answered the test of not only playing a postseason game without Jayson Tatum on Wednesday, but also the Magic’s physicality en route to a 109-100 Game 2 win.
ESPN analyst and former Celtic Kendrick Perkins summarized Boston’s win in simple terms.
“That’s why I’ve got them picked to win,” he said of the Celtics being his NBA title prediction. “They’re deeper than the Atlantic Ocean.”
“The Magic tried to do everything in their power, from mucking it up, to getting physical, to some dirty plays,” Perkins said. “Elbows being thrown, we saw Kristaps Porzingis’s head get split wide open basically, but that doesn’t faze the defending champs, especially the Finals MVP in Jaylen Brown.”
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Perkins praised Brown, who finished the night with 36 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.
“I thought watching him play tonight without Jayson Tatum — yes he had 36 points, and he did it in every fashion — but I thought the 10 rebounds and five assists were more impressive because he didn’t force anything,” Perkins explained.
“The great Kevin Garnett used to tell me, ‘Always watch franchise guys to see how they’re growing, if they can go out and get 36 [points] and go out and make guys around them better,” Perkins added. “And we saw that with Jaylen Brown.”
Boston will now head on the road, facing the Magic in Orlando in Game 3 on Friday at 7 p.m.
Trivia: If Cam Ward gets picked first overall in tonight’s NFL Draft, he will be the first University of Miami quarterback to be selected in the top spot in decades. Can you name the last Miami QB to go No. 1?
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(Answer at the bottom.)
Hint: He played for seven teams in his lengthy NFL career, including the Patriots for one season as a 43-year-old.
Scores and schedules:
The Celtics defeated the Magic 109-100 in Game 2 of the first-round series on Wednesday. Boston now leads 2-0 and heads to Orlando for Game 3 on Friday at 7 p.m.
Also from Wednesday, the Red Sox lost to the Mariners 8-5. The two teams conclude the three-game series this afternoon at Fenway Park at 1:35 p.m.
And tonight, the NFL Draft gets underway at 8 p.m. The Patriots are set to pick fourth overall unless there is a trade.
More from Boston.com:
- Jaylen Brown leads Celtics over Magic in Game 2 without Jayson Tatum: 7 takeaways
- Red Sox pitching falters in 8-5 loss to Mariners
- A bloodied Kristaps Porzingis embraces his ‘WWE moment’ in Celtics Game 2 win
- 2025 Patriots mock draft: Here’s who we have New England taking with their 9 picks
- The Sports Hub continues to dominate as Nielsen winter ratings are released
- 8 takeaways from Bruins’ end-of-season press conference
- NFL insider believes Patriots will ‘try like hell’ to trade down in first round
Mike Vrabel’s pre-draft thoughts: The Patriots’ coach discussed the offseason, the upcoming draft, and his brief career as a TV analyst.
On this day: In 1983, the Bruins beat the Sabres 3-2 in overtime of Game 7 of the Division Finals, with Brad Park scoring the winner.
In basketball, the Celtics defeated the Hawks 98-79 to win the first-round series. The story was a memorable one, however, due to a fight that broke out between Tree Rollins of Atlanta and Danny Ainge of Boston. Rollins bit Ainge during the ensuing altercation, leading to a now-famous Boston Herald headline: “Tree Bites Man.”
Daily highlight: While Paolo Banchero had some highlights of his own in Game 2, it was Jaylen Brown and the Celtics who ultimately hit more impactful shots (in this case from high attitude).
MOONBALL 🌙 pic.twitter.com/qLctX5NOUb
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 24, 2025
Trivia answer: Vinny Testaverde
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