The reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics battle the Orlando Magic in first-round NBA playoff action. Boston strives for its 19th championship banner, while the Magic look to win their first playoff series since 2009.
There's a clear favorite in the Magic vs Celtics odds, look for my expert prediction for this first round series:
Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics Series Winner Odds
| Team | Moneyline |
|---|---|
| Orlando Magic | +2200 |
| Boston Celtics | -8000 |
Odds as of April 18th at Sportsbook
The defending champion NBA playoffs. Joe Mazzulla's squad took the down the Miami Heat in five games last season, and have won seven of their last eight first-round playoff series.
Boston led the Association with a league-record 1,457 three-pointers this season, so shutting down their outside shooting will be paramount for Orlando. To their credit, the Magic gave up the least amount of both three-point makes, and attempts in the league this season. Jamahl Mosley's squad plays a bruising, physical brand of basketball, focusing on a slow pace and making opponents work in the half court. That strategy translates well to postseason basketball, but the Celtics are a juggernaut.
Crucially, Boston ranked second in offensive rating and fourth in defensive rating this season. Of the 27 teams to rank within the top-five in both over the last 28 seasons, 17 reached the conference finals. As such, the Celtics -8000 odds imply a 98.77% chance of victory in this series.
Magic vs Celtics Series Schedule
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Arena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Sun. April 20, 2025 | 3:30 p.m. | TD Garden |
| Game 2 | Wed. April 23, 2025 | 7pm | TD Garden |
| Game 3 | Fri. April 25, 2025 | 7pm | KIA Center |
| Game 4 | Sun. April 27, 2025 | 7pm | KIA Center |
| Game 5 (If Necessary) | TBA | TBD | TD Garden |
| Game 6 (If Necessary) | TBA | TBD | KIA Center |
| Game 7 (If Necessary) | TBA | TBD | TD Garden |
Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics 2024-25 Spread and Total Betting History
| Date | Spread & Score Result | Total Points & Result |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 23, 2024 | Boston 104 @ Orlando 108 (+9) Magic Cover | O/U 214.5 (UNDER) |
| Jan 17, 2025 | Orlando 94 @ Boston 121 (-14.5) Celtics Cover | O/U 213.5 (OVER) |
| Apr 9, 2025 | Boston 76 @ Orlando 96 (-8) Magic Cover | O/U 206.5 (UNDER) |
Orlando managed to pull out two victories against the vaunted Boston Celtics this season. Proving that perhaps the Magic's rugged defensive style does translate to winning playoff hoops.
Intriguingly, the OVER has hit in six of Orlando's last nine games as an underdog. Unfortunately for Magic bettors, Orlando is just 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games versus top-10 scoring defenses.
Magic Player to Watch: Paolo Banchero
Banchero failed to answer the call for the Magic in last season's playoffs, as Orlando pushed the Cavaliers but eventually succumbed in their first round series. He'll need to be at his absolute best on both ends of the court for Orlando to have any hope of upsetting Boston.
The Celtics hardnosed defense kept Banchero in check this season, holding the young star to just 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists on 37.8% shooting in two matchups. Should the Celtics manage to contain Banchero in the playoffs, this first-round series will be over quickly.
Celtics Player to Watch: Jaylen Brown
Brown's creaky right knee could hurt the Celtics at the start of the playoffs. Last year's Eastern Conference and Finals MVP has been dealing with a sprain, and his availability has come into question as Boston's aims to defend its title.
Brown has reportedly been taking injections to deal with the pain, so it will be interesting to see how Joe Mazzulla deploys him in this series. The rigors of a physical Magic defense could be detrimental to Brown's knee. Boston will be hoping he can suit up. After all, the four-time NBA All-Star torched Orlando while averaging 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5 assists in two meetings this season.
Magic vs Celtics Series Expert Prediction: Boston to Win Series 4-1 +152
Ultimately, Orlando's defense will cause Boston some problems, but they're late game offense will be their Achilles' heel. Despite the presence of Wagner and Banchero, the Magic rank 25th in fourth-quarter shooting percentage and are dead last in three-pointers made and three-point percentage.
Back the Celtics to win this series in five games.
