Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics head-to-head, season stats, last 5 games and more for 2025 NBA Playoffs first round

The Boston Celtics are set to face the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. The Magic booked their trip to the postseason after dominating the Atlanta Hawks 120-95 in the NBA Play-In Tournament. The defending champions will have their hands full against an up-and-coming team led by Paolo Banchero.

Orlando looked like a legitimate contender early in the season, but injuries derailed the team and sent it to the play-in spots. The Magic finished at 41-41, which wasn't a bad record considering the number of injuries they endured to players such as Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs.

On the other hand, the Celtics had another 60-win season entering their title defense. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been dominant, but Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis put them over the top. They will need to bring their A-game against a young Magic roster.

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Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Head-to-Head

In 133 regular-season games since Jan. 17, 1990, the Celtics have dominated the Magic 76-57. Boston had a terrible stretch in the 1990s, but Orlando hasn't been a consistent franchise despite making two NBA Finals appearances in 1995 and 2009.

As for the playoffs, the two teams have slugged it out three times. The Magic won in the first round of the 1995 NBA Playoffs and then followed it up with a 4-3 series win in the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals. They met again the following year in the 2010 Eastern Conference finals, but the Celtics finally prevailed.

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Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Season Stats

Surprisingly, the Magic have the second-best defensive rating in the NBA this season at 109.1. Coach Jamahl Mosley has done a wonderful job of containing other teams despite having an injured roster early in the season, up to the playoffs. They do have the fourth-worst offensive rating, but that could be attributed to being shorthanded.

Meanwhile, the Celtics are great on both ends of the floor. They had an offensive rating of 119.5, which is just behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for best in the NBA. Their defensive rating is at 110.1, putting them fourth among the 30 teams.

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Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Last 5 Games

The Magic surprisingly won this season's series against the Celtics, 2-1. They surprised the defending champions on Dec. 23 and were given an easy win on April 9 when Boston sat all of its starters.

But in their last five games since Dec. 15, 2023, the Celtics are 3-2. All three of their wins were blowouts with an average margin of victory of 20.3 points.

Here are all the scores of the past five Magic-Celtics games:

• Magic def. Celtics 96-76 April 9, 2025
• Celtics def. Magic 121-94 Jan. 17, 2025
• Magic def. Celtics 108-104 Dec. 23, 2024
• Celtics def. Magic 114-97 Dec. 17, 2023
• Celtics def. Magic 128-111 Dec. 15, 2023

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Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics 2025 NBA Playoffs First Round Schedule

The Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics first-round series begins on Sunday, April 20, at the TD Garden. It is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET tipoff on ABC.

Here's the full schedule, including location, time, date and channel:

• Game 1: TD Garden, 3:30 p.m. EST, April 20 on ABC.
• Game 2: TD Garden, 7 p.m. EST, April 23 on TNT
• Game 3: Kia Center, 7 p.m. EST, April 25 on ESPN
• Game 4: Kia Center, 7 p.m. EST, April 27 on TNT.
• Game 5: TD Garden, TBA*
• Game 6: Kia Center, TBA*
• Game 7: TD Garden, TBA*

* if necessary