The Orlando Magic invade the TD Garden to do battle with the Boston Celtics on Friday night. Here's a Magic vs Celtics prediction.
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic have been in red-hot form as they've won 11 of their last 13 games overall and they will be aiming for a third straight win after taking down the Cavaliers in a 104-94 home win on Monday. Paolo Banchero led the team with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, Franz Wagner added 19 points with eight rebounds and four assists while Goga Bitadze chipped in with 15 points on six of eight shooting. As a team, the Magic shot 46 percent from the field and seven of 26 from the 3-point line, but this win was all about their defense as they trailed at halftime before they restricted the Cavaliers to just 15 points in the third quarter to flip the game on its head. The Magic are 4th in the East with a 16-7 record, the same as the Philadelphia 76ers.
Boston Celtics
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics have been in a groove as they've won six of their last seven games and they will be aiming for a fourth straight victory after blowing past the Cavaliers in a 116-107 win on Thursday. Jayson Tatum led the team with 27 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, Jaylen Brown added 22 points with five assists, Kristaps Porzingis tallied 18 points while Jrue Holiday chipped in with 15 points. As a team, the Celtics shot 50 percent from the field and 13 of 36 from the 3-point line, but even though they never trailed in this one, they couldn't really pull away until they started the fourth quarter on a pivotal 7-0 run.
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Matchup/League Facts
- The Celtics rank T1st in the league for opponent blocks per game this season (3.7).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for opponent free throw percentage this season (73.3%).
- The Magic rank 1st in the league for opponent rebounds per game this season (40.3).
- The Magic rank 30th in the league for three-point field goals made per game this season (10.0).
Magic vs Celtics prediction
The Magic are still missing Markelle Fultz, Wendell Carter Jr and Kevon Harris, while the Celtics are missing Luke Kornet. The Magic have quietly been one of the hottest teams in the league and they will be well-rested for this one as they haven't played since Monday. The Celtics have been playing some great basketball themselves and they are still a perfect 12-0 at home this season, so they are deserved favorites in this one. The Celtics have already beaten the Magic once this season and I think they do it again, but I think we're getting just enough free points to take the Magic in this spot.
AUTHOR: Peter Tran
