After winning a Play-In game over the Atlanta Hawks, the Orlando Magic secured the No. 7 seed, and they’ll tip off their first-round series with the Boston Celtics on Sunday at TD Garden. Boston is the big favorite, but can Orlando keep it close on the road?
My Magic vs. Celtics predictions expect Jayson Tatum to deliver a strong performance as Boston takes Game 1. Read my NBA picks to see which player props I like and how I’m betting the point total.
Who will win Magic vs Celtics Game 1?
Orlando hung its hat on a slow pace and strong defense all season, but the Celtics are simply too much to handle with their myriad of scorers and lights-out shooting from beyond the arc. I’ll take Boston to win Game 1.
Magic vs Celtics prediction
My best bet: Jayson Tatum Over 24.5 points (-115 at bet365)
Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics in scoring this season with 26.8 points per game. He delivered 25 or more points in 58 of 72 games, yet his points line is set comically low and comes with -115 odds. Boston’s superstar forward hit the Over in 80.6% of his games this season, which means our odds should be closer to -415. I’m all over this one.
At first glance, Orlando’s defensive trends seem to favor the Over for Tatum’s scoring line, but we can dig a little deeper. The Orlando Magic allowed the fewest made three-pointers to opponents this season at 11.4, but that number’s not so scary when you see that opponents attempted just 31.4 triples against them.
Were opponents held in check by tremendous perimeter defense? Not quite. Orlando allowed the eighth-highest three-point percentage to opponents at a healthy 36.5%.
Opponents also attempted the fewest shots per game against Orlando, but the Magic were slightly below average in FG% allowed. The team gave up 46.8% from the field, good for 17th.
Tatum has found success against the Magic in recent contests. He played them only once this season and delivered 30 points. Last season, he finished with 30, 26 and 23, and the season prior, he dropped 26, 31, and 41.
Tatum has scored at least 25 points in six of his last seven against the Magic, and I expect him to be at his best in this one. Orlando will try to turn this one into a dog fight and make things ugly for the finesse Celtics, and Tatum will need to take over on offense.
Magic vs Celtics same-game parlay
Jayson Tatum Over 24.5 points
Over 206
Paolo Banchero Over 24.5 points
The Magic allowed the fewest points per game to opponents this season at 105.5, and the Celtics were second at 107.2. The teams were the slowest and second-slowest in pace, respectively. Betting the Under may seem to be the best option here, but this total has crept so low that we can’t bet it in good conscience.
The last time these teams met, the score was 96-76 Magic, but Boston rested all of its starters in a meaningless game. In the six prior head-to-head matchups, the total went Over 206 each time. Boston is 21-20 to the Over as home favorite, and Orlando is 13-8 to the Over as road dog.
Paolo Banchero averaged a career-best 25.9 points per game this season, and he’ll need to come out firing if Orlando hopes to stay competitive in Game 1. The third-year star posted at least 25 points in 23 of 46 games, but he turned it on to end the season. Banchero hit the Over on this line in 16 of 24 games post All-Star break, including eight of his last 10 on the road.
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Magic vs Celtics odds
Magic vs Celtics live odds
Magic vs Celtics opening odds
- Spread: Orlando +13.5 (-110) | Boston -13.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Orlando +650 | Boston -1000
- Over/Under: Over 206 (-110) | Under 206 (-110)
Odds courtesy of bet365
Magic vs Celtics spread and Over/Under analysis
- Orlando went 40-41-1 ATS in the regular season.
- Boston covered the spread in 38 of 82 games.
- The Magic and Celtics combined to hit the Under in 91 of 164 games.
Magic vs Celtics trend
The Boston Celtics have hit the Team Total Under in 59 of their last 88 games (+26.30 Units / 26% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Celtics.
How to watch Magic vs Celtics
| Location | TD Garden, Boston, MA |
| Date | Sunday, 4-20-2025 |
| Tip-off | 3:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ABC |
Magic vs Celtics latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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