On Monday night, the Magic was victorious against the NBA’s top-ranked Boston Celtics, scoring 113-98 in front of their home supporters.
The Boston were unfortunate to have to face the Orlando Magic again this season. On Monday night, the Magic pulled away late to claim a 113-98 victory and move to 3-1 against the team with the best record in the league. No other team has as many wins against the Celtics in this season, and the Magic are the first to take the season series.
The Celtics have not had much luck against the Magic this season, for a few different reasons – the primary one being that they have faced them with a shortage of players. At least one starter has been absent in all four matchups, and in three of those, multiple starters were absent.
PAOLO POWER
Though health is an important factor, another reason the Magic have been able to defeat the Celtics this season is due to the outstanding play of Paolo Banchero. The Rookie of the Year candidate has had several impressive showings against the Celtics, most notably his 31-point effort in the Magic’s victory on December 18th, which is the second-highest-scoring game of his career.
On Monday, Banchero had a standout performance with 23 points and five rebounds while shooting 7-of-13. He demonstrated a lot of his offensive abilities, such as his speed to take Al Horford off the dribble, his strength to gain nine free-throws, and his athleticism in transition. Additionally, he shot from behind the arc on the catch.
Banchero’s outside shooting stood out the most during this performance, not only because of the 3-of-5, but also due to the remarkable statistic. In his four games against the Celtics, he has been 14-of-25 from 3-point range (56 percent).
ISAAC RETURNS
At long last, Jonathan Isaac’s comeback finally happened at the 7:00 minute mark of the opening quarter. Isaac made his return to the NBA for the first time in 904 days. The 2017 first round pick compiled 10 points, three rebounds, and two steals in the 10 minutes he spent coming off the bench. Fans of the Orlando Magic gave him a standing ovation when he entered the game.
GAMEOVER CELTICS
The Celtics, ranked 5th in the NBA for ball security, had 18 turnovers that resulted in 24 points for the Magic off of fast breaks.
In the second quarter, Boston fell behind by a significant margin, but they eventually mounted a comeback with a 16-1 run. Nonetheless, Orlando managed to finish the game strong and take the victory.
