Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown doesn’t need to shout to get his point across. Sometimes, all it takes is a mic, a moment, and a well-placed Harry Potter reference.

“They the Magic but they know who really got the magic over here. No Harry Potter.”

via ESPN’s mic’d-up segment on Instagram

No malice. Just confidence. The kind that comes from being a champion. From knowing what your team is capable of when the lights get bright.

Brown Sets the Tone, Celtics Set the Pace

There’s a certain clarity in Brown’s approach these days. He’s playing through pain, but not playing like it’s holding him back. And while his 16 points in Game 1 won’t lead any highlight reels, they were part of something bigger—Boston’s steady, composed 103–86 win over a young Magic team still figuring out how to land their punches.

The Celtics didn’t dominate wire-to-wire. In fact, they trailed at halftime. But when it mattered, they reminded Orlando—and everyone else—why they’re still the team to beat.

This Is Boston Basketball

Brown wasn’t joking. Boston backed it up with a 103–86 win to open their first-round series against Orlando.

They took Orlando’s best punch—36 from Banchero, 23 from Wagner—and never blinked. Down at the half. Sloppy at times. But never rattled. Because this is what Boston does.

They don’t panic. They adjust. The Celtics suffocate. Then they pull away.

The Celtics had five players in double figures, led by 30 from Derrick White. Payton Pritchard gave them 19 off the bench. Tatum and Brown didn’t need to dominate—they just needed to set the tone. And they did.

This is what separates contenders from champions. Depth. Balance. Poise. The kind of game that reminds you why Boston still runs the East, and why no one’s eager to see them in a seven-game series.

Magic or not, the Celtics are the ones holding the wand right now.

On to Game 2

Sunday was a reminder. Not of how good Brown can be individually, but how much control he and the Celtics have when they play their brand of basketball. They didn’t need magic. Just poise, balance, and belief.

And maybe one little reminder from their Finals MVP that the real magic still lives in Boston.