Following two exciting contests in Games 3 and 4, the Celtics have a chance to eliminate the Magic tonight. Despite splitting their last two games, Orlando finds itself in a 3-1 series deficit. Is there any way for the Magic to steal a win in Boston against the defending champs?
The Celtics enter Tuesday as 11.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 198.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Let’s break down which team has the edge going into this crucial Game 5 matchup.
Celtics vs. Magic preview, prediction
This was always going to be an uphill battle for the seventh-seeded Magic. Two comfortable Celtics wins in Games 1 and 2 have only made that reality more obvious. Still, Orlando hasn’t gone down quietly, nearly earning two straight wins over the weekend.
Things will get tougher tonight, as the Magic will attempt to avoid elimination in a hostile environment. Since 2024, the Celtics are 11-2 when playing a postseason game at TD Garden. It helps that their best player, Jayson Tatum, has been on fire in this series. Through three games, the six-time All-Star has averaged 30.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. On Sunday, he dropped 37 points and 14 boards en route to a 107-98 Boston victory.
Fortunately for the Magic, they have a young superstar of their own. Paolo Banchero has stepped up, posting at least 29 points in every game this series. The same can be said for his running mate, Franz Wagner (26.0 PPG). It’s after those two where things get tricky for Orlando. An offensively-limited squad has struggled to find production from its role players. Other than Banchero and Wagner, the team’s next-highest scorer is Wendell Carter Jr. (9.8 PPG). That lack of firepower isn’t going to cut it against an elite Celtics starting five.
Celtics vs. Magic pick, best bet
If nothing else, Orlando’s physical, grind-it-out play style allows them to stay in games. This season, the Magic have operated at the NBA’s slowest pace (96.51); the Celtics ranked second (96.59). With limited possessions comes less opportunity to build a sizeable margin. It’s no coincidence that only one contest in this series, Game 1, has been decided by double-digits.
Expecting a Magic victory on the road is nearly impossible; this roster is simply outgunned. However, head coach Jamahl Mosley is someone that manages to get the most out of his guys. To keep this one close, a poor shooting day from the Celtics is needed (easier said than done). Orlando has held opponents to an NBA-worst 11.4 three-pointers made per game. Considering how large this spread is right now, I’d feel comfortable backing the scrappy underdogs tonight.
