After a 6-road-game schedule, the Boston Celtics are back at the TD Garden for this doubleheader against the Orlando Magic on Friday (December 16) in NBA Regular Season action.
The 9-20 Magic are in phenomenal form at the moment. They come into this game on the back of four consecutive wins, the latest of which came against the Atlanta Hawks 135-124. The Magic blew them out in the first quarter itself outsourcing them 50-22. It was a team effort as all of their starting five scored 15 or more points in the game.
Paolo Banchero has been brilliant this season for the Magic. He is on course for a possible All-Star call-up, considering the numbers he has been putting up in his rookie season. He is currently averaging 22-7-4 for the season on 55% true shooting.
The Celtics are quite clearly the best team in the NBA. They have gone 22-7 thus far, winning the most games of any team in the entire NBA this season. They haven’t been at their imperious best lately, losing three of their last seven games. They come into this game on the back of a 122-118 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
It was yet another Jayson Tatum masterclass as he scored 44 against the Lakers, enabling the Celtics to win in OT. He hadn’t quite hit his lofty standards in December until that game as he registered his fourth 40+ point game of the season.
Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Match Details
Fixture: Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics
Date & Time: Friday, December 16, 7:30 p.m. EST
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Injury Report
The Celtics have a full-strength lineup for this game, while the Magic are without Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr.
Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Betting Odds & Spreads
Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Starting 5s
Magic: PG M. Fultz SG Franz Wagner SF P. Banchero PF Bol Bol C Moritz Wagner
Celtics: PG Marcus Smart SG Derrick White SF Jaylen Brown PF Jayson Tatum C Al Horford (GTD)
Magic vs. Celtics Betting Prediction
The Celtics should run riot in this game. They have the highest-rated offense in the entire NBA and are coming up against a bottom-three defense of the Magic.
Playing at the TD Garden, the Celtics have won 11 of their 13 games. If Tatum and Brown fire early, the scoreline could get embarrassing for the Magic.
Celtics: -13 (-108)
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