Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic

With a strong 3-1 series lead, the Boston Celtics face the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night, aiming to clinch a place in the second round of the playoffs.

The Magic, winless in their last five trips to TD Garden since December 2022, are determined to break this streak and keep their playoff hopes alive.

On Sunday, despite a 43% field goal percentage, the Celtics secured a 107-98 win over the Magic, taking the lead in the Eastern Conference series. Orlando surged to an eight-point lead in the first quarter, led by Paolo Banchero’s 31 points, but Jayson Tatum (37 points) and Jaylen Brown (21 points) combined for 58 points to drive Boston’s crucial victory.

Four Celtics starters contributed significantly, with Kristaps Porzingis adding 19 points and five assists, and Derrick White scoring 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

The Celtics began their title defense with two home wins to open the series, before falling 95-93 in Game 3 on April 26, their first road loss. Now, under Joe Mazzulla’s leadership, Boston is one victory from their seventh second-round appearance in the Eastern Conference in eight years, with the 2020-21 season being the only exception when they missed the playoffs.

Returning to TD Garden, where they’ve won six consecutive games since a 124-103 loss to the Miami Heat on April 3, the Celtics are confident heading into Tuesday’s matchup.

Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic, who ranked third-lowest in points per game during the regular season, continue to struggle offensively in the playoffs, a key reason for their postseason challenges.

After a dominant 120-95 Play-In victory over the Atlanta Hawks, the Orlando Magic have struggled offensively in the playoffs, failing to score 100 points in three of their four games while averaging just 94.25 points per contest.

Now, Jamahl Mosley’s squad faces an uphill battle—they must win all three remaining games in the series to advance to the second round, a feat they haven’t accomplished since 2010. Their next challenge? A trip to Boston, where they’ve lost five straight games, with their last win dating back to December 2022 (95-92).

Adding to the concern, the Magic enter Wednesday’s matchup on a three-game road losing streak—a stark contrast to their previous six-game away win streak. The odds seem stacked against them as they look to turn the series around.