Jayson Tatum led Boston with 30 points on 12-for-21 shooting while Brown, who looked disengaged at times against the Raptors, played with fortitude in notching 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals to help the Celtics pull away in the second half.
Against the league’s No. 2 defense, the Celtics shot 52.5 percent from the field (42 of 80) and made 17 of 37 3-pointers. Kristaps Porzingis added 23 points, while Derrick White added 12. The Magic trailed for the final 43 minutes and totaled just 40 points in the second half.
Cole Anthony led the Magic with 23 points while Paolo Banchero added 21 but on 20 shot attempts.
After a first half where he focused on defense, Brown returned to form in the third period. After the Magic cut the deficit to 9 by scoring the first 5 points of the period, the Celtics responded with a 14-2 run for an 80-61 lead after a Tatum layup with 7:34 left in the third.
With Tatum getting a rest, Brown took over — scoring 13 points over the final 4:37, including canning all eight of his free throw attempts. Brown played with zest, taking anybody the Magic offered off the dribble to create buckets or free throw opportunities, and then added a 3-pointer for an 89-71 lead.
Defensively, the Celtics began getting consistent stops, protecting the rim, and contesting 3-pointers. Banchero, playing in his fourth game since missing two months with an oblique strain, was forced to work for his points inside. In one sequence, Porzingis raked him in the face after a shot attempt and he laid on the floor for several minutes with an eye injury. He eventually returned to the game, but the Celtics limited his offensive impact with their attacking defense.
The Boston starting lineup has struggled recently, with a minus-4.0 and 5-5 record over 10 games. Mazzulla said last week that the lineup of Tatum, Brown, White, Jrue Holiday, and Porzingis had played roughly one-third of the minutes together compared with this time last season, primarily because of injury.
He gave that quintet plenty of time together on the floor in the first half, playing Tatum 22 of the 24 minutes, while Brown played 17 with the remaining three playing at least 15. The result was 66-54 lead at halftime as Tatum led the Celtics with 20 points and Porzingis added 14.
There was a de-emphasis on 3-point shooting, as Boston attempted just 15 threes in the first half — well off its season average of 50 per game. Tatum and Porzingis each attacked the paint while Brown played with more energy and vigor than Wednesday.
He scored 7 points on 3-for-5 shooting but added 3 assists, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. He collected those steals on consecutive Orlando possessions, and when he couldn’t gather the ball as the Celtics raced down the floor for a fast-break opportunity, Mazzulla clapped for his efforts.
Banchero led the Magic at halftime with 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting. The Celtics sent several double teams at the hulking forward and he was able to reach the free-throw line five times. Anthony added 13 points as the Magic stayed within single figures until a late second-period run by the hosts.
After Wednesday’s disappointing defeat, focus and energy wasn’t an issue Friday. The Celtics featured Porzingis early on a series of post-ups, and he scored 9 of the first 17 points.
Orlando entered the game second in the NBA in points allowed, and the Magic made a concerted effort to run the Celtics off the 3-point line. Boston countered by attacking the paint and shooting selected 3-pointers. Porzingis scored 11 points and the struggling White added 7 for a 35-28 lead after one period.
The Magic were severely shorthanded, missing Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Gary Harris, but they thumped the Celtics last month without Wagner and Banchero. Coach Jamahl Mosley used 10 different players in the first half, with Banchero and Cole Anthony keeping Orlando close.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.
