At least one Celtics player has suffered a minor injury in each of the team’s three playoff games against the Magic so far. As Souichi Terada of MassLive writes, Jayson Tatum sustained a bone bruise in his right wrist in Game 1 that forced him to miss Game 2. In that second game, Kristaps Porzingis received stitches after a cut on his head. And after Friday’s game, Jaylen Brown told reporters that he dislocated his left index finger in Game 3.
Brown said his injury came after a flagrant foul from Cole Anthony, leaving the All-Star frustrated after the Celtics’ first loss of the series.
“There might be a fight break out or something because it’s starting to feel like it’s not even basketball and the refs are not controlling their environment,” Brown said. “So it is what it is. If you want to fight it out, we can do that. We can fight to see who goes to the second round.”
As Terada observes, the Celtics had expected a physical series against Orlando, but it was taken up another level in Game 3 on the Magic’s home court. Turnovers and poor execution led to the Celtics’ loss, though they still maintain a 2-1 series lead.
“I don’t have a problem with the game being physical, but it seems like when I use my physicality, I get called in the opposite direction,” Brown said. “That’s what my frustration was. It was just a tough whistle tonight. Maybe next game will be better, but it started in the third quarter with those two offensive fouls. I feel like the physicality, you are allowing guys to hand check and let it go on both sides then. Other than that, it was just a tough whistle for me tonight and we just got to be ready for Game 4.”
The two teams will square off again on Sunday evening. Tatum was able to return on Friday after missing Game 2, but guard Jrue Holiday was forced to sit out Game 3 due to a hamstring strain.