Apr 25, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA: Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) moves the ball in front of Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) during the second half of game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Celtics' Jaylen Brown Issues Fiery Response to Magic Fouls

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Apr 26, 2025 10:57 AM ET

The banged-up Boston Celtics' title defense has been hit by the injury bug early.

Ahead of the playoffs, four-time All-Star Boston small forward Jaylen Brown had an injection in his right knee to address a posterior impingement.

When the Celtics' first-round series against the Orlando Magic tipped off, it quickly became apparent that the Magic had made a tactical decision to hard foul the reigning champs. There's an obvious talent disparity between the two clubs at this point in time, so Orlando has been looking to rattle the opposition.

Unfortunately, the Magic's bruising approach has been yielding a body count.

Following a collision with Orlando swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, six-time All-Star power forward Jayson Tatum incurred a right distal radius bone bruise and had to sit out Game 2. Starting center Kristaps Porzingis got cut on the forehead and had to depart to receive multiple stitches.

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Six-time All-Defensive guard Jrue Holiday, meanwhile, sat out Game 3 with a strained right hamstring. Holiday also entered the postseason while battling a pinky injury.

Final Score pic.twitter.com/0N0WRpjegi
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 26, 2025

On Friday, Boston fell to the Magic on the road, 95-93, and the series fell to a 2-1 record in the Celtics' favor.

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Postgame, Brown was asked by Gary Washburne of The Boston Globe about the escalating hard fouls that seem to have become part and parcel of Orlando's defensive strategy in this series.

Noa Dalzell of CLNS captured the moment of Washburne's inquiry, and Brown's response.

Jaylen Brown was asked by @GwashburnGlobe about how the Celtics can respond to the Magic’s fouls:

“There might be a fighter break out or something. It’s starting to feel like it's not even basketball, and the refs is not controlling their environment.”

“If we want to fight it,… pic.twitter.com/En9T4aUBGH
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 26, 2025

“Might be a fight [that could] break out or something. It’s starting to feel like it's not even basketball, and the refs is not controlling their environment," Brown said. "So it is what it is, if we want to fight it out, we can do that. We can fight to see who goes to the second round.”

The Celtics still are the heavy favorites to advance — and remain major contenders to win their second consecutive title — but the more they let the Magic into their heads, the more vulnerable they could become.

In the defeat, Brown scored 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field and 4-of-5 shooting from the foul line, while grabbing six rebounds, dishing out one dime (against six turnovers), swiping one steal and blocking one shot.

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