Julian Edelman sends 3-word message to Jayson Tatum and Co. after Celtics trounce Magic 103-86 in Game 1 of NBA playoffs
Former New England Patriots star Julian Edelman wasted no time hyping up the Boston Celtics after their dominant playoff opener against the Orlando Magic on Sunday.
Edelman is a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots. The former wide receiver has shown particular enthusiasm for the Celtics as they pursue the franchise's next championship banner.
On Sunday, Edelman shared the news of the Celtics' convincing 103-86 victory over the Magic through his Instagram stories. He made his post shortly after the game concluded at TD Garden in Boston.
"Onto the next," Edelman wrote in his Instagram caption.
This is not the first time that Edelman has publicly endorsed Boston's basketball team. The Patriots icon has always demonstrated his love for the Celtics, even springing for courtside seats at their games and posting messages about their stars on social media.
The Celtics were led by Derrick White's 30 points, while Jayson Tatum had a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Julian Edelman from Super Bowl champion to Boston's biggest fan
Julian Edelman's ties to the Celtics go deeper. During his 2017 NFL suspension for breaking the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, the Celtics organization permitted him to work out in their facilities. This was also when he was excluded from the Patriots' facilities.
Just days before Sunday's playoff opener, Edelman praised Celtics star Jayson Tatum following their nail-biting 119-117 OT win over the New York Knicks. "That's a bad man right there," Julian Edelman wrote on his Instagram story on April 8.
On Saturday, a day before game 1, he shared photos of himself in Celtics apparel and holding the championship trophy on X with the caption: Banner 19 Loading… ☘️
The Celtics won Game 1 against Orlando even though their stars played poorly. Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis accounted for only 15-of-44 field shooting (34%) and abysmal 1-of-12 3-point attempts (8%). White (30 points) and Payton Pritchard (19 points) provided the secondary support needed to earn the 17-point victory.
The first-round playoff series continues Wednesday with Game 2 at 7 p.m. EDT in Boston.