Celtics look for revenge after a first-meeting loss to the Magic
The Celtics return home from a miserable performance in Toronto, taking on the Orlando Magic for the second time this season. The first matchup between the two came on Dec. 23, when a shorthanded Orlando team pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 108-104 win.
The Celtics are 6-4 in their last 10 games and 4-3 in the month of January, most recently getting outplayed by the 10-31 Toronto Raptors in a 110-97 defeat on Wednesday. The Celtics remain six games back of the first-seed Cleveland Cavaliers, but hold a two-game advantage over the three-seeded New York Knicks.
The Magic, meanwhile, have managed to stick around in the playoff race despite injuries to multiple rotation players and their two primary scoring options in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Banchero returned to action on Jan. 10 after a two-month absence, with the Magic going 1-2 in his games back on the floor. They currently hold the five-seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
Injury News
The Celtics have a clean bill of health entering tonight’s matchup.
Injury Report for tomorrow vs. Orlando:
No injuries to report
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 16, 2025
The Magic will again be without some key figures when they take on the reigning champs.
Magic vs Celtics Injury Report:
Orlando (OUT):
– Jalen Suggs (low back strain)
– Franz Wagner (return to competition reconditioning)
– Gary Harris (left hamstring strain)
– Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol)
– Jett Howard (left ankle sprain)Boston:
-None to report
— Brett James (@thebrettjames1) January 17, 2025
Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Gary Harris have all been out for significant stretches, while Goga Bitadze will be missing his second straight game after entering concussion protocol.
Key Matchups
Paolo Banchero vs. Jayson Tatum
In his first three games back in the lineup after an oblique strain, Paolo Banchero has played a smaller amount of minutes compared to his usual time on the floor, but the Duke product has still maintained that aggressive battering-ram play style that’s made him one of the top young talents in the league. He’s currently averaging 25.3 points per game in his three games back, while shooting 49% from the field with 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists. It’ll be the first faceoff between the two Duke forwards this season.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Wendell Carter Jr. vs. Kristaps Porzingis
With Goga Bitadze sidelined, expect to see a lot of Wendell Carter Jr. in this contest. WCJ was productive in the first meeting against Boston, shooting 5-of-8 from the field for 11 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists. A willing shooter that’s having a career-worst season from the perimeter (20% 3P), Carter has no problems pulling it from beyond the arc, but his ability as a glass-crasher will be an area that Porzingis will have to account for.
Cole Anthony vs. Derrick White
The Magic being down multiple backcourt options means another extended appearance for Cole Anthony, who can be a microwave scorer on any given night. Anthony’s usage and efficiency are all down from past seasons, but against Boston, he stepped up, scoring 10 points with five assists in Orlando’s win, finishing as a +10. Derrick White handled that matchup for most of their first meeting, with Anthony making two of his three attempts over the All-Defensive Team guard.
Lately, Anthony has seen his minutes skyrocket due to the team’s numerous injuries, averaging 32 minutes a night in his past six games, scoring 17 points on 44/32/68 splits.
Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images
Keys to the Game
Make your open shots: The shooting slump has felt team-wide during Boston’s rough period of play. Since Jan. 1, the Celtics are second in open 3-point frequency (4-6 feet of space) yet are just 21st in efficiency on those looks (33.6%). Against the league’s second-rated defense in Orlando, one that allows the fewest 3-point makes and attempts in the league, open shots might feel harder to come by, but when they do come available, the Celtics have to make the Magic pay.
Watch for aggressive defense: Orlando has a top-tier defense for a reason, even with the rotation constantly shapeshifting to account for their injury troubles. In their previous matchup, the Magic hounded the ball, disrupting the Celtics’ drive-and-kick game and turning nearly every fourth quarter possession into a dogfight. Orlando has forced opponents to turn the ball over an average of 17 times a game this season, third best in the league. No matter who is available for Orlando, they make their opponents work to score buckets. The Celtics have to be ready for active hands on any kind of drive to the paint.
Protect the paint: Orlando’s offensive sports the worst 3-point shooting in the league, and it’s not particularly close. As a team, they shoot just 31% from distance, with the closest “competitor” in that regard being the Washington Wizards and their 33% success rate. Despite that, the Magic are a competent paint-attacking unit, especially with Paolo Banchero on the floor, who makes 55% of his shots inside of 10 feet. With Al Horford and Porzingis both available along with Luke Kornet, Boston’s bigs need to disrupt Orlando’s attempts at the cup, while the rest of Boston’s rotation needs to communicate and avoid defensive lapses that end in open cuts to the rim.