Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics (Oct. 4, 2021): 3 Things To Watch, Odds and Prediction
The Orlando Magic open their preseason with a trip to Boston to take on the Boston Celtics as their new rookies and new coach debut.
Orlando Magic (0-0) at Boston Celtics (0-0)
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m./NBA League Pass
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Tickets: $6-$182 on StubHub
2021 Season Series: Celtics 124, Magic 97 in Boston on Jan. 15; Celtics 112, Magic 96 in Boston on March 21; Celtics 132, Magic 96 in Orlando on May 5
2022 Season Series: Tonight in Boston (Preseason); Oct. 13 in Orlando (Preseason); Nov. 3 in Orlando; Jan. 2 in Boston; Feb. 6 in Orlando
| 2021 Stats | Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 99.2 | 104.6 | 113.9 | 49.0 | 25.2 | 12.9 | 24.0 |
| Boston | 98.9 | 113.1 | 111.8 | 54.3 | 28.9 | 14.1 | 23.4 |
OMD Prediction
Your guess is as good as mine to figure out what the Orlando Magic are going to be in this game. It is not only a preseason game — on pitting a young team against a veteran team — but it is also the first time Jamahl Mosley will lead a team onto the court as its head coach. Right now, nobody has any idea how this team is going to play or what it will look like.
On one hand, that is really exciting. This game is going to help us all ask the right questions about how the Magic form the foundation they say they are building. We are finally going to be able to get a sense of who this team wants to be and what they want to accomplish. That is super exciting. Who cares what the score is for now? As long as the team does not look completely unprepared and disorganized.
18. Prediction. 95. 38. 102
3 Keys To Watch
Jalen Suggs’ debut
On draft night, Orlando Magic fans were resigned to taking another versatile forward to add to their group of versatile forwards. The pain of being one of the worst teams in the league led to Lottery frustration and resignation that the team was still searching for its star. The fan base felt it was a minor miracle when the Toronto Raptors passed on Jalen Suggs, leaving the Gonzaga guard for the Orlando Magic to select.
Suggs delivered on his potential in Summer League, averaging 15.3 points per game in three games, which included a 12-minute outing cut short because of an injury. Magic fans have rightly been excited for Suggs because of all the little things he does.
But that was college and then Summer League. This is still preseason, but he will get his first look at Jalen Brown or Marcus Smart defending him. Those guys are not anything he has ever seen in a regular game, at least. Keep those expectations a bit tempered. At this point, he should be looking to get his feet wet and get comfortable on a NBA court. The stats will come later.
Eye on the defense
The biggest thing for the Orlando Magic throughout training camp has been its focus on defense. Jamahl Mosley has a background as a defensive coordinator, having served that role for the Dallas Mavericks the last three years. He has put his focus in training camp on defense and that is going to be the backbone of the team’s system and identity.
At this point, it is hard to say exactly what the Magic are going to try to do defensively. Mosley has talked about increasing the team’s ball pressure and physicality as hallmarks of what he wants to do. But what exactly is behind that? Orlando will be putting it to the test.
With the focus on defense throughout training camp so far, the Magic’s defense is probably going to be the measure of success. The team needs to show at least some life on that end and some understanding of what they are doing so they can continue building with their defense.
Sophomore Step Up
The most disappointing part of the Orlando Magic’s Summer League run was how much Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton struggled. It was not clear if that was because of harder-than-usual training camp practices before the games began or just the inability to get on the court between the end of the season and their trip to Las Vegas.
Anthony struggled especially with his shooting during his brief Summer League run. He even publicly admits he played poorly — Anthony is never one to pull punches, especially with his own play. The magic obviously have some high hopes for their sophomore players — Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton and Chuma Okeke (who is out for Monday’s game).
Next. Terrence Ross gives Orlando Magic rookies solid reviews. dark
The team certainly wants to see these young guys take their next step. And second-year players usually take sizable leaps — and this year’s group should have a bigger leap now that they have a normal schedule to play. Orlando will want to see this group play well as they begin planning out their season.