The Magic and Celtics are gearing up for a two-game set, both of which will be in Orlando. These are the first two games of a four-game season series between the Eastern Conference foes.
Boston is understandably below .500 after injuries and offseason moves gutted the team. Orlando, however, was expected to contend in the East after trading for Desmond Bane. Through eight games, the Magic are 3-5 and in 11th place.
Orlando is a 3.5-point favorite and -166 on the moneyline, while Boston is +140 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set to 228.5 points. Below, I’ll break down this matchup with a preview, prediction and best bet.
Magic vs. Celtics preview, prediction
The Celtics will have an extended stay in Orlando, which typically would be a great vacation for the rest of us. Boston may not be as excited, however, as the team plays back-to-back games against the Magic.
Orlando is a talented team with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Bane leading the charge. Role players such as Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr. round out this group nicely. With how weak the Eastern Conference is, the Magic had a chance to be major threats in the 2025-26 season.
It hasn’t gone as planned early this season. The Magic are 3-5 and most recently lost against a Hawks team without Trae Young. The growing pains are real, but the talent is also clear. The trio of Banchero, Wagner and Bane are bound to get better.
A major area of improvement needs to be the team’s three-point shooting. Bringing in Bane was supposed to help solve that issue, but he’s shooting just 28.6% from distance this year. More importantly, the Magic are attempting the fourth fewest threes per game. They’re facing the same struggles as last year but are down five first-round picks thanks to the Bane trade.
On the bright side, Orlando defends the three-point line incredibly well. The defense allows the fewest attempted threes and third fewest made threes. This is particularly good against the Celtics, who are very three-point dependent.
Boston attempts the most threes per game, and three-pointers make up 39.7% of the team’s total points per game, which ranks fifth in the NBA. It’s a dangerously high mark for a team that shoots the fourth worst three-point percentage in the league.
While the Celtics are expected to be a mediocre team this season, they’ll still begin to shoot better as time progresses. Shooting 31.9% from deep is not sustainable for Boston, but a change is unlikely to happen this weekend. Orlando’s perimeter defense is legit.
Magic vs. Celtics pick, best bet
Neither team is shooting well to start the season, and the Celtics play at the league’s slowest pace. Sure, the Magic play at the sixth fastest pace, but they don’t shoot many threes.
This seems like a low-scoring game with lots of missed shots — whether that’s due to good defense or just bad offense. Take the under.