It was fitting, in a sense, that no one gave the Celtics a chance entering Sunday’s regular-season finale.

That’s how it was as soon as Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles. That’s how it was to start the season. That’s how it was after their 8-8 start. But each time, the Celtics simply shrugged their shoulders, ignored the critics and kept on hooping.

When they trotted out a starting five of Ron Harper Jr., Max Shulga, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh and Luka Garza, some naively assumed the Magic would cruise to a stress-free victory. But those who have watched this team exceed expectations all season had a hunch that it would be anything from a cakewalk for Orlando.

The Celtics showed promise early, fell behind at halftime, surged ahead with a marvelous third quarter, then withstood a late Magic run to earn a 113-108 victory that encapsulated what has made this regular season so remarkable.

Here are 10 takeaways:

1) Look at Luka

Let’s start with the end. Garza hit arguably the most preposterous shot of the season, drilling a gutsy go-ahead 3 with a hand in his face and 31.7 seconds remaining.

With 21 seconds on the shot clock, Garza didn’t have to shoot it. Given the two-for-one opportunity, and the fact that he was feeling it, he decided to let it fly. The shot was a no-doubter, as it descended through the net with ease and vaulted the Celtics ahead.

Garza finished with 27 points and 12 boards in perhaps the best game of his career to this point. Against a team with limitless size, Garza helped the Celtics hold their own on the boards.

2) Baylor buckets

Scheierman was also electric, racking up 30 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in a true masterpiece of a performance. Surprisingly, he never even scored 30 in college, so this one gets two major thumbs-up.

It’s a great reminder that NBA players are more than capable of producing at a high level when given a total green light and ample playing time. But not everyone can do it like Scheierman, who hit some wild contested 3’s and also found his teammates for easy 2’s.

He’s gained confidence throughout the season, and this could take it to another level in the postseason.

3) Even sharper Harper

Harper Jr. has been a pleasant surprise this season, and he, too, turned in his best game yet Sunday night. He set the tone early and gave the Celtics even more belief that they could really win it.

He isn’t good for a young guy, good for a reserve or good for an undrafted player. He’s just straight up good and should be in the rotation for years to come.

4) Free money

The Celtics went 17 of 17 from the free-throw line in the first half to stay within striking distance, down 61-52. It was their most makes in a first half since 2023, and they finished 22 of 22 for the game.

Don’t sleep on Walsh’s free throws in the final seconds to seal it. That’s a pressure-packed moment for a player who used to be very in his own head and is no only somewhat in his own head. Walsh looked calm and knocked them down with ease.

5) Battle of the boards

It would have been easy for the Celtics to lose this game because they lost the rebounding battle. While they ultimately did lose it, 50-46, a four-board differential is a win for Boston in this case.

Orlando’s size is its best asset, and the Celtics didn’t let the Magic bully or intimidate them. Garza was a catalyst in that realm, as usual, but Walsh, Scheierman and Harper Jr. also contributed.

6) Delightful Dalano

Remember Banton? Well, he’s back, and he’s the same long, rangy athlete who made his mark in Boston before. Banton is a fun player because he naturally pushes the pace just because of how he’s built and wired.

He doesn’t corral the rebound, think about what he’s having for dinner, glance up at the Jumbotron and go. He just gets it and goes. That sort of pace is contagious, and for a team that ranks last in pace (it’s a good thing; don’t get me wrong), this was a refreshing change of pace, so to speak.

He also had four blocks and remains a crazy leaper.

7) Whaddaya say, Tonje?

John Tonje also made his presence felt with 13 points and four rebounds in 30 minutes. Tonje had some impressive hustle plays, has a nose for the ball and is a capable shooter and playmaker.

He won’t crack the playoff rotation, but this was a promising audition to boost his long-term chances of remaining on the roster.

8) No Magic 3-ball

The Magic are a good basketball team, but in order to take the next step, they need to address their 3-point shooting. Desmond Bane helps, and Jalen Suggs was a bright spot Sunday, but they shot 28 percent as a team from distance on the night.

Whenever the Celtics and Magic play, regardless of who’s on the floor, the gap in shooting is obvious. The Celtics did the right thing by daring Orlando players not named Suggs or Bane to shoot. The Magic can wear you down with their physicality and toughness, but the Celtics can match that physicality and toughness and also burn you from deep.

9) Planting the seed

With the loss, the Magic fell to No. 8 in the East and could very well see the Celtics again in the first round. All they have to do is beat the 76ers, but even without Joel Embiid, that’s no easy task.

Professional athletes have a knack for putting their shortcomings behind them, but the Magic may second-guess themselves heading into a potential rematch. If they can’t beat the Scheierman-Harper Jr.-Garza Celtics (no disrespect to three Boston icons), how can they beat the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown-Derrick White and more Celtics? Time will tell, but it’s advantage Boston until further notice.

10) Legendary run

Jim Edmonds, the Director of Celtics Basketball for 45 years, is retiring.

NBC Sports Boston honored Edmonds – a TV professional for 67 years who chronicled five NBA championships and won 16 Emmy Awards – throughout Sunday’s broadcast. Edmonds downplayed his role and tried to deflect the attention, even while Drew Carter and Brian Scalabrine sung his praises.

“I try to put them in a position to succeed,” Edmonds said.

He’s done exactly that for almost half a century, shining as behind-the-scenes glue for a powerhouse crew.

Mike Gorman even returned to the Garden to give Edmonds a proper farewell.

“I enjoyed every second of the 45 years I worked with Jim,” Gorman said.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

This week’s question asked about the teams in Houston’s playoff tier — the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers — and which one Rockets fans would least like to play. Here are your results:

As you can see, two-thirds of Rockets fans picked the Denver Nuggets, and I agree that they are the worst first-round matchup for Houston. The Rockets instead drew the Los Angeles Lakers in round one, but they could still meet one of the other teams in later rounds.

According to our friends at FanDuel, the Rockets are the favorites versus L.A., opening up at a -220 in odds against the Lakers in Game 1, meaning you have to wager $220 to win 100. The Rockets are -900 to advance to the Western Conference Semis and a +6000 to make the NBA Finals.

Thanks for voting, we’ll be back soon with more Reacts!

BOSTON — Baylor Scheierman didn’t know what to expect entering Sunday night’s regular-season finale. The Boston Celtics, down eight players, rolled out a shorthanded rotation made up entirely of reserves against a fully healthy Orlando Magic team.

“We were even joking in the locker room coming out for layup lines, looking at each other like, ‘What do we got — six, seven people out here?’” Scheierman said after Boston’s 113-108 win.

When the starting lineups were introduced, Scheierman’s name was called last — a spot usually reserved for Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. When it came time to fight back from an 11-point deficit, Scheierman drained the equalizing 3-pointer in the third quarter to spark Boston’s turnaround rally.

The final week of the regular season was rewarding enough, as the Celtics clinched their playoff berth on Tuesday and then locked the No. 2 seed on Friday. But for Scheierman, who’s spent the entire season dealing with the uncertainty of rummaging for minutes off the bench, Sunday’s victory was especially gratifying.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Scheierman said. “Obviously, like I’ve talked about, I’ve got a lot of internal confidence in myself. And like I said in New York, I flipped the page to New Orleans. Then we played New Orleans on Friday, and when that game was done, I flipped the page to tonight, and that’s no different. You don’t really weigh too much on a single game, regardless of whether it goes good or bad.”

Scheierman tied his career high with 20 points at Madison Square Garden in Thursday night’s loss. Against the Magic, he took the driver’s seat, leading Boston’s reserve-heavy group. Scheierman set a new career high with 30 points, outplaying Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, and helped turn the tide at TD Garden. Fans went from heading for the exits early to rallying around the shorthanded eight-man crew as it fought back and delivered one of the most inspiring performances of the season.

“I’m super proud of myself,” Scheierman added.

Instead of sitting in the corner waiting for catch-and-shoot feeds, Scheierman created his own scoring opportunities at will.

During his 14-point run in the third quarter, Scheierman pulled up seven times off the dribble. He capped off his red-hot bout with a 30-foot 3-pointer over 6-foot-11 Goga Bitadze, giving the Celtics an 86-77 lead. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, too, noticed Scheierman’s confidence coming to life and taking over.

“I think in the middle of the third quarter, we went on a little bit of a run, he took a tough shot a couple of steps over half court,” Mazzulla said. “And you want him to have that confidence, but he knew right away, like, ‘OK, I’ve got to read the game now. We’re in a different position.’ Then he just learns defense, situational basketball, but at the end of the day, he’s a huge competitor. And you kind of saw that tonight.”

Before the game, Mazzulla discussed how the entire locker room — starters, bench players, returning players, and newcomers — has impacted winning. Without Tatum, the Celtics won 41 of their first 62 games. Without Brown, they went 9-2. The secret behind their success boils down to their identity and core principles, both of which are instilled in everyone from the top down. The bar doesn’t change because the team is shorthanded, even when the roster is down to its last eight going up against Orlando’s best 10.

Boston has equipped everyone to succeed, including Scheierman. Scoring aside, his energy was infectious. It was felt by his teammates, the starters watching from the bench in street clothes, and those in attendance. That’s a byproduct of the culture the Celtics have built.

“I think today is the perfect example of the locker room,” Mazzulla explained, “and the group of guys that we have, and how important it is that everybody knows that if you’re on the floor, you’re expected to play a certain way to put us in position to win.”

No matter how difficult Orlando made it for Boston’s reserves, they never gave in. In the first quarter, Mazzulla played everyone available. The Celtics shot 26.1 percent from the field (6/23) and 25 percent from three (4/16). Many of their attempts appeared rushed and forced by the pressure of Orlando’s defense. Boston struggled to attack the basket, and Mazzulla didn’t wait around to shake up the rotation.

But as the game wore on, the team’s comfort grew. Scheierman recorded five second-half assists, finding teammates cutting to the basket like his old high school quarterback self, and attacking Orlando off the dribble to create kick-out looks from three.

Joining Scheierman, Luka Garza (27), Ron Harper Jr. (27), and John Tonje (13) also set new career highs in points.

“We’re proud of the effort we put out there,” he said. “I think going into the game, we’re expected to go out there and compete and win the game. I know going into the game that was our expectation, and we’re excited that we won, and honestly, just getting ready for the playoffs now.”

It hasn’t been easy for Scheierman this season. Without a clear role, players in his position often struggle with the inconsistency of not playing each night. But the system this season’s Celtics have built makes it so everyone can contribute. Sometimes it’s Scheierman, other times it’s not. What remains constant is the team’s commitment to winning, regardless of who’s on the floor and who isn’t.

That won’t change.

“There’s no separation in the locker room, regardless of what went on in the preseason and even the rough start we got off to, the 0-3 start,” Scheierman said. “There was no separation. We stayed together, and that’s kind of how it was through the ups and downs of the whole year, and I think that’s the biggest takeaway that I have.”

Why Draymond Green could be facing his last grand opportunity vs. Kawhi Leonard originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Stephen Curry playing a team-high 29 minutes in the regular-season finale was an encouraging sign for one of the two pivotal factors the Warriors will take into the postseason.

The Warriors hope Curry’s efficient 24-point effort in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday was a preview of what’s to come, as his presence and performance will be critical when the teams meet Wednesday for an NBA play-in tournament game in Los Angeles.

The second factor that figures to be at least as impactful was invisible on Sunday. The matchup of Golden State’s defensive savant Draymond Green vs. LA’s offensive ace Kawhi Leonard did not materialize.

Green and Leonard were listed as questionable early Sunday afternoon, Green with a lingering lower-back issue and Leonard with a left ankle sprain. When the Clippers downgraded Leonard to out four hours before tipoff, the Warriors downgraded Green a couple hours later.

Maybe each team had a valid reason. Or, more likely, both coaches took a tactical approach to a low-consequence game three days before a high-consequence rematch.

Draymond wants this. Wants to prove that even now, at age 36, he remains among the league’s premier defenders. Moreover, he needs it for his psyche.

Green has admitted to being less than enthusiastic about the Warriors finishing as the 10th seed in the Western Conference and therefore having to survive two detours to get to the real playoffs. This game within the game, however, surely is a source of motivation.

Green’s desire to make the All-Defensive team won’t be affected, as ballots for NBA postseason awards will have been submitted long before Wednesday. But a strong defensive performance against an opponent bound for the Hall of Fame is an opportunity to make a statement to his teammates and any observers who doubt his defense still can shine on a big stage.

History suggests that’s enough for Green to summon his best. Is his best still good enough?

“With a guy like Kawhi you can play the best defense that you want, and he still can get his numbers,” Curry told reporters Sunday night at Intuit Dome. “It’s about how he gets them and making him work. I feel it all the time. We’ve got to be able to impose our will, even if he still gets his because that’s the challenge to try to beat those guys.”

Years of evidence indicate Green’s defense, individually and within the team framework, is every bit as important to Golden State’s postseason fortunes as Curry’s offense. Kerr understands that as much as anyone.

“Defensively, he’s obviously our guy,” Kerr told at Intuit Dome. “We’re able to do more things with him out there. He’s a playoff player. He’s a guy who loves the challenge. He loves the situation when you’re in a must-win (game), so I know he’ll play well.”

The last time Green faced Leonard, March 2 at Chase Center, he requested the assignment. Kerr agreed. Draymond won his battle, but the Clippers won the game. They prevailed by rallying behind Leonard while Green was on the bench for a breather.

The Warriors had a 71-61 lead when Green was subbed out with 4:37 left in the third quarter. Leonard at that point had 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Leonard scored four points over the next 53 seconds, igniting LA’s 16-8 run to close the quarter and pull within two. The momentum swung during the non-Draymond minutes.

“Kawhi went on a great run and that kind of put it away,” Golden State center Al Horford said after that game.

For the better part of three quarters, Green had minimized Leonard mostly by with spirited ball-denial defense and the occasional trap. Kerr after that game said he had to give Draymond a break, that he “can’t play the whole game.”

The coach will be a lot more flexible Wednesday.

“Draymond will be well rested,” Kerr said in LA. “He’s been playing a lot of minutes and a lot of games, so it was good for him to get a night off tonight. He’ll be ready to go. He’ll help set a tone for us defensively.

“We know it’s going to be tough. These guys are really good and, obviously, Kawhi will be back. And we’re excited about them challenge.”

If Leonard scores 40 points but needs 30 shots, that bodes nearly as well for Golden State as 22 points on 20 shots. The overarching goal for Green and his teammates is to keep Kawhi from taking over the game.

The Warriors will be clear underdogs, and they’ve earned that status. They’ve been slipping backward on ice for almost three months. Their 37-45 regular-season record is the worst of the 12 teams assured of making the playoffs or the other seven teams still trying to win their way there.

Whether the Warriors can beat the odds and beat the Clippers on the road, something they have not done since Nov. 28, 2021, almost certainly will be determined by the winner of the game within the game.

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Nikola Jokic scored 23 points in a first-half appearance as the Denver Nuggets beat the San Antonio Spurs 128-118 to claim third seed in the Western Conference on the final day of the regular NBA season.

Denver's victory meant the Los Angeles Lakers finished as fourth seed in the Western Conference for the NBA play-offs, which begin this weekend.

The Lakers, who were missing their top scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves through injury, defeated Utah Jazz 131-107.

Veteran Lakers star LeBron James, 41, impressed with 18 points, six assists and four rebounds in the first half.

Denver will host sixth seed the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the play-offs, while the Lakers welcome the Houston Rockets, who are seeded fifth.

Three-time Most Valuable Player Jokic, 31, who also registered eight rebounds, played just over 18 minutes in Texas to reach 65 games and become eligible for the league's season-ending awards.

Denver's Julian Strawther scored 25 points and Jonas Valanciunas finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

De'Aaron Fox led the Spurs with 24 points while MVP contender Victor Wembanyama was rested following his 40-point performance in the 139-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

Second seed San Antonio, who secured their play-off spot against the Mavericks, will host the winner of the in-play tournament game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns in the first round.

The in-play tournament is a round-robin competition which follows the regular season, where eight teams compete to establish the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference.

Oklahoma City Thunder, who are defending NBA champions and top seed in the West, plus Eastern Conference first and second seeds the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics, will find out their first-round opponents once the in-play tournament finishes on Friday.

Is it possible that the most fun game of the regular season is the finale when seven — SEVEN — rotation players are unavailable and there’s nothing to play for?

Yes. Yes, it is.

Baylor Scheierman led all scorers with 30 points with Ron Harper Jr. and Luka Garza having career games with 27 to beat the Orlando Magic 113-108. The stakes of this game could not have been more different. For Orlando, a win could have made them the #6 seed and playing at Madison Square Garden next weekend. For Boston, it was a matter of expressing how fundamentally sound the entire franchise is from the Jays to the young players trying to grind it out in Maine.

In the end, Celtics Pride prevailed.

Boston will enter the postseason as the #2 seed, but they’ll have to wait to see how the Play-In Tournament plays out next week; the 76ers will now host these Magic in the 7/8 game on Wednesday April 15th. The Celtics will host the winner on Sunday, April 19th at 1 pm EST.

Boston’s championship odds have remained steady all month with our friends at FanDuel and are +550 to raise Banner 19 and the favorite to rep the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals.

Baylor Scheierman

39 minutes, 30 points (6-14 from 3, 8-8 from the free throw line, 8-20 from the field), 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, one block, +15

Mazzulla handed the keys to Scheierman and Scheierman went full Ferris Bueller in the regular season finale.

Our player grades are normally objective and based on a fuzzy formula of what’s expected of a player versus how they perform in the game. Yes, Baylor filled the box score with a near triple-double, but just on vibes alone, his impact on the game was off the charts. The kid has a flare for the dramatic and backs it up with business up front but certainly party in the back.

Grade: A+

Jordan Walsh

33 minutes, 9 points (1-6 from 3, 4-4 from the free throw line, 2-9 from the field), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, one steal, one block, -14

There’s still a chance that the Celtics are going to face the Magic in Round 1 and Game #82 gave Jordan Walsh some up close intel about what it’s going to take to defend Paolo Banchero. Brown and Tatum would most likely get the bulk of minutes defending Orlando’s offensive engine, Walsh will get his reps, too.

Walsh had trouble with Banchero’s size — everybody does — and his best bet might to lean into a more irritant strategy rather than bodying him up.

Grade: B-

Luka Garza

38 minutes, 27 points (3-6 from 3, 4-4 from the free throw line, 10-18 from the field), 12 rebounds, one assist, 2 turnovers, +13

Mazzulla used the end of the regular season to knock the rust off of Nikola Vucevic in favor of using Luka as the first big off the bench. That wasn’t a knock on Garza’s game. In fact, it could be considered a vote of confidence.

Luka’s box score numbers may fluctuate, but his effort and hustle don’t. It’s not just his stick-to-itiveness. He’s a savvy screener with his quick hip flips who can read on-ball and off-ball situations on the fly.

We just didn’t know he had fadeaway three-pointers in his repertoire:

Grade: A+

Ron Harper Jr.

37 minutes, 27 points (5-12 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 10-20 from the field), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers +7

So yeah, RHJ is going to be on the big club next season. The birthday boy doesn’t have the size and strength to be a playmaker, but he’s a natural scorer that can play next to Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, and Derrick White.

Grade: A+

Max Shulga

18 minutes, 3 points (1-3 from 3, 1-4 from the field), 3 rebounds, one steal, one turnover, +8

The point guard was a steady quarterback for Maine’s offense. He averaged 15.7 points while shooting 40% from 3 with nearly seven assists a night. That didn’t exactly translate in this one-game audition.

Grade: B-

Dalano Banton

36 minutes, 2 points (0-1 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 0-3 from the field) 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 turnovers, one steal, 4 blocks, +3

Per Spotrac, Banton’s one-day regular season contract is worth around $28K, a nice paycheck for a single game’s work. He’ll now be with the Celtics throughout the postseason as their 15th man. Despite being traded in 2024 to Portland, he did earn a ring from the team and is now in-line for another.

Grade: B-

Amari Williams

10 minutes, 2 points (1-1 from the field), one rebound, one assist, one turnover, -8

There’s a world where Williams enters next season as a project big as the third option or the Celtics bring back Garza, Queta, and Vucevic for another run. We’ve seen enough flashes from him to know that he could be a serviceable front court player in the future.

Grade: C

John Tonje

30 minutes, 13 points (3-8 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 4-12 from the field), 4 rebounds, one assist, one steal, +1

Tonje was kind of a throw-in when Stevens salary-dumped Chris Boucher to the Jazz, but you can see what Danny Ainge saw in him and signed him to a two-way contract.

Grade: B+

Inactives: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, Nikola Vucevic

Let me preface this by saying it’s unlikely that the Golden State Warriors win both of their potential play-in games this upcoming week. They’ll be underdogs for Wednesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, unless the NBA finishes their investigation and orders Kawhi Leonard to plant trees during the 9-10 game.

Should they get past Team Aspiration, they’ll be underdogs against the loser of the Phoenix Suns-Portland Trail Blazers 7-8 game Friday, AKA the “Cliff Robinson Bowl.” Would it be satisfying to beat Dillon Brooks in a postseason game again or make Damian Lillard watch the Warriors celebrate again? Obviously, but a Warriors team that’s gone 5-15 after Cinco De Mayo isn’t scaring anyone. Both those games (if necessary) will be broadcast on Prime Video, which we all know as the home of “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”

But if the Warriors pull off two road wins against their healthier, taller, younger, cooler, more talented opponents Wednesday and Friday, then their reward will be a matchup with the defending champions at 12:30 on Sunday, April 19. The tired Warriors will face 18,203 screaming fans still furious about Kevin Durant’s free agency a decade ago and that Chick-fil-A is closed.

The prime-time matchups are about the NBA’s past, and its future. Saturday’s 5:30 game on ABC features 41-year-old LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers facing 37-year-old Durant and the Houston Rockets. Sunday’s prime-time game at 6:00 on NBC will have 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs facing the Suns-Blazers winner.

So mark your calendars for Sunday, but maybe write it in pencil. And if you have to go a T-ball game, church service, champagne brunch, craft fair, or 4/20 pre-party, the Warriors will understand. After all, they might already be in Cancun.