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Evan Fournier is coming off arguably the best game of his young Boston Celtics tenure, posting 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field during Sunday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. He’ll look to extend his hot shooting streak into Wednesday, as the 28-year-old will once again be asked to shoulder a significant scoring load with All-Star Jaylen Brown out of the lineup with a sprained ankle.
Beyond that, there’s also the looming aspect of a revenge game for Fournier, who will face off with the Orlando Magic, his former team of nearly seven years.
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Fournier on Return to Orlando: ‘I Moved On’
Despite averaging nearly 20.0 points per game for the Magic this season, Fournier was shipped to Beantown at the trade deadline in exchange for two future second-round picks and veteran guard Jeff Teague — a player who was waived before even arriving in Central Florida.
Yet, despite the table being set for a “revenge game,” don’t expect the Celtics swingman to take the court at Amway Center with any personal vendettas.
“I had a great time in Orlando, but I moved on,” Fournier told reporters Tuesday, via The Athletic’s Jared Weiss. “Playing for the Celtics is a great opportunity and I’m fully here. I don’t have any extra motivation or anything to play against the Magic. I just want to get the win and go home.”
Fournier Ready to Make a Deep Run in the Playoffs
Fournier hasn’t exactly had the easiest of transitions since joining the Celtics. While he’s played well in spurts, a “heartbreaking” battle with COVID-19 has limited the wing to just 10 games since joining the team.
There is the possibility that Fournier’s limited court time could ultimately limit his ability to fully display his true worth to the Celtics ahead of his impending free agency, leading some to question his staying power in Boston. However, it’s evident every time Fournier speaks into a mic, he’s clearly bought into what the Cs are selling.
After years of mediocre results in Orlando that include just two playoff appearances and never once making it out of the first round, Fournier is simply excited about the prospect of making a deep playoff run with the Celtics this season.
“I get here with high expectations and ambitions, and for the first time in my career, I have the opportunity to make a really deep run into the playoffs with a team,” Fournier said on Sunday.
“So, it’s kind of a golden opportunity for me to finally be with a great team and the fact that I got COVID and now I’m feeling like this, it’s heartbreaking, to be honest,” he added. “So, that’s the hard part. You guys don’t know me yet, but I’m mentally as tough as it gets and I get through that for sure.”
The Celtics clearly have their work cut out for them. Currently sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with just seven games to go, the Cs are staring down the barrel of a potential play-in scenario.
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Evan Fournier’s Perfect Response to ‘Revenge Game’ vs. Magic