Caldwell-Pope’s Actions Heat Up Celtics-Magic Series

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic 109-100 in a physical Game 2 at TD Garden on Sunday. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of the Magic found himself at the center of controversy after a hard foul on Celtics player Jayson Tatum, who was sidelined due to a wrist injury.

After the game, Celtics forward Al Horford addressed the incident, stating, “There was something extra. It was about the second or third time they, especially KCP, went at him in that way.” Horford alleged that Caldwell-Pope’s actions were intentional, saying, “I was starting to run on the break and he got into me there and impeded my progress.”

During the second quarter, Caldwell-Pope appeared to trip Horford as he was sprinting up the court following a rebound. The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown confronted Caldwell-Pope immediately after the play. Despite a video review, Caldwell-Pope was not assessed a foul.

Orlando has turned to aggressive physicality to compensate for a talent gap against the Celtics. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley commented that the complaints from Horford signify their effectiveness, saying, “If anything, I look at it like a positive because now we’ve got them complaining. We’re going to keep mucking it up.”

The Magic committed 23 personal fouls in Game 2, leading to 33 free throw attempts for Boston. However, Orlando’s shooting woes persisted, with the team making just 7 of 29 (24.1 percent) from beyond the arc.

Caldwell-Pope struggled, finishing with three points on 1-for-9 shooting (0-for-6 from three). As the series shifts to Orlando for Game 3, the Celtics hold a 2-0 lead, with the next game scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.

Despite the hostility from Celtics fans, Caldwell-Pope remained unfazed. He remarked, “I’ve had that before. Getting a little boos, I must be doing something right.” Caldwell-Pope is looking to improve his performance, stating, “If I’m not making shots — I do defend at a high level, and that’s what I’ll be focusing on.” The Magic need offensive support beyond stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner if they hope to extend the series.