The Orlando Magic ride a five-game win streak into a rematch with the Boston Celtics as they continue to try to prove they are no fluke.
Orlando Magic (10-20) at Boston Celtics (22-8)
Time/TV: 3 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
WATCH MAGIC-CELTICS ON FUBO TV
FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILY
Line: Celtics by 10
Tickets: $54-$5,680 on StubHub
Season Series: Celtics 126, Magic 120 in Orlando on Oct. 22; Magic 117, Celtics 109 in Boston on Dec. 16; Today in Boston; Jan. 23 in Orlando
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 98.4 | 110.4 | 114.5 | 53.2 | 29.1 | 16.7 | 29.6 |
| Boston | 100.0 | 117.7 | 111.1 | 57.8 | 23.1 | 13.5 | 25.5 |
OMD Prediction
The Orlando Magic are riding high. Paolo Banchero said the coaches challenged the team before Friday’s game to prove their four-game win streak was not a fluke. Doing things at home is easy. Doing it on the road against the top team in the league to extend the win streak to five games? That would cement a few things.
Even after taking the first heavy punch from the Boston Celtics in that game, going down 14-4 in the early moments of the game, the Orlando Magic kept on the grind and eventually retook the lead and the never really looked back, dominating a game Celtics team for their fifth straight win.
The great part? The team almost universally acknowledged that their second game against the Celtics will be more difficult than the first one. They know Boston will come back stronger than ever even with Jayson Tatum sitting out for personal reasons. And that will be a good test to measure this team’s response.
3 Keys To Watch
Bench Brigade
The Orlando Magic are probably very thankful for their health right now. They have had the same starting lineup now for the last eight games. They have largely had the same players in the rotation too — with only Mo Bamba rejoining the rotation after missing time with back spasms.
That stability has helped players grow into roles and get comfortable with playing groups for perhaps the first time this season. The results in that time show it, especially off the bench.
Orlando is averaging 32.9 points off the bench this season, 20th in the league. In the last eight games, that has jumped to 35.6 points per game (13th in the league) and to 36.0 per game (13th in the league) during this five-game win streak.
Cole Anthony and Mo Bamba have given the team the biggest boost as solid scorers off the bench for this team. That has given the team a ton of support when the starting group does struggle — as they did early in Friday’s win.
Jaylen Brown again
Jayson Tatum is OUT for Sunday’s game for personal reasons. He has been playing at an MVP level and is a big reason why the Boston Celtics are out to the best start in the league at this point in the season. But he has had plenty of help from Jaylen Brown.
Brown is averaging 26.5 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and 34.5 percent from beyond the arc. He is more than capable of putting in a strong showing on his own without Tatum.
The Magic should know that better than most. In one of the lowest points of last season, Brown scored 50 points in a come-from-behind overtime win over the Magic on Jan. 2. He was the dominant force and once the Celtics got going downhill that game behind Brown, it was over for the young Magic trying to stop them.
3-Point Defense
The Orlando Magic felt strong about their defensive effort against the Boston Celtics. But they also recognized postgame that they have plenty to improve on. And they acknowledged the Celtics will come back with more focus this time around.
The place to watch is in the team’s 3-point defense.
The Celtics, fourth in the league with 38.6-percent shooting from deep, hit on only 11 of 46 3-pointers (23.9 percent).
That is not likely to repeat. As Brian Hill noted on the Bally Sports Florida broadcast of the game, teams tend to have heavy legs during the first game back from a long road trip as the Celtics just came back from.
Of note there too, the Celtics hit just 5 of 27 3-pointers with the closest defender six or more feet away and 3 for 14 on shots with the closest defender 4-6 feet away, according to data from NBA.com. That is 8 for 41 on “open” 3-pointers. That is a lot of open shots to give up.
That is an area the Magic have to improve on. They may not get that kind of 3-point luck again.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.