Magic Seek Playoff Upset Against Defending Champion Celtics

The Orlando Magic enter their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics as heavy underdogs, but they do so with the confidence of having won the regular season series 2-1. As these two Eastern Conference teams prepare for Sunday’s series opener at TD Garden, the contrasts between them highlight both the Magic’s aspirations and the significant hurdles they must overcome to advance.

Orlando, which finished the regular season with a perfectly balanced 41-41 record to secure the seventh seed, faces the daunting task of challenging the defending NBA champions. Boston, with its 61 wins and championship pedigree, represents both the Magic’s ultimate aspiration and their immediate obstacle.

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Similar Frameworks, Different Results

While some observers point to structural similarities between these franchises, the statistical differences tell a more compelling story. Both teams feature forward duos who serve as primary offensive engines—Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner for Orlando, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for Boston—and both emphasize defensive identity and physicality.

“The size of our wings, the versatility of each one of our guys being able to play multiple positions both offensively and defensively… the physicality that they bring to the table… those are a lot of the similarities that we both possess,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley explained, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Several Magic players acknowledge these surface-level parallels. Guard Gary Harris noted, “They’ve got a lot of guys on the team, but they have two main guys and we’ve got two big dogs on our team as well.” Second-year guard Anthony Black added, “Four of, probably, the best players in the league… Our team is built similar in ways.”

However, Banchero himself rejects the comparison. “No, not really,” the Magic’s star forward stated. “I’d be interested to know why they say that. We are a different team than them. We have a lot different play style than them on both sides of the ball. I’m not sure why anyone would say that.”

Offensive Chasms Separate Contender from Aspirant

Banchero’s pushback is supported by stark offensive contrasts between the teams. The Celtics led the NBA in both three-point attempts (48.2) and makes (17.8) per game during the regular season, while Orlando ranked 23rd in attempts (35.3) and dead last in makes (11.2).

The broader offensive picture is equally divergent. Boston posted the league’s second-best offensive rating at 119.5, while Orlando struggled to the fourth-worst mark at 108.9, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The Celtics also excelled in ball movement, finishing with the fourth-best assist-to-turnover ratio, compared to Orlando’s fifth-worst mark in that category.

These differences extend to supporting casts as well. While Tatum (26.8 points) and Brown (22.2) enjoy complementary scoring from four other double-digit scorers, Banchero (25.9) and Wagner (24.2) represent half of Orlando’s double-figure scorers. The Magic’s situation is further complicated by season-ending injuries to Jalen Suggs (16.2) and Moe Wagner (12.9).

Championship Experience vs. Playoff Drought

Perhaps the most significant difference between these teams is their playoff history. While Boston seeks to become the first team since 2018 to repeat as NBA champions, the Magic haven’t won a playoff series in 15 years.

“It’s great for this organization and this community to have an opportunity at that,” Mosley said regarding the drought. Veteran Harris expressed surprise at the length of the dry spell, simply stating, “Fifteen years is crazy. I didn’t even realize that.”

The Celtics’ postseason dominance was evident last year when they never needed more than five games to win any series during their championship run. This efficiency contrasts sharply with Orlando’s relative inexperience on the playoff stage.

Source: https://www.nba.com/news/2025-nba-playoffs-standings-and-bracket-updates

Magic’s Path to Potential Upset

For Orlando to have any chance in this series, they’ll need to leverage their defensive prowess (second-best defensive rating at 109.1) to disrupt Boston’s lethal perimeter attack. “We’re just trying to figure out how to knock them off their rhythm,” Harris explained regarding Boston’s six rotation players shooting above 35% from distance.

However, as USA Today notes, the Magic’s defensive strength hasn’t extended to the perimeter, where they tied for 21st in opponent three-point percentage (36.5%). Against the league’s most prolific three-point shooting team, this vulnerability could prove decisive.

Orlando’s offensive hopes rest primarily on the shoulders of Banchero and Wagner, who will need to produce at an elite level to compensate for the team’s lack of depth. Both young stars battled similar injuries (torn obliques) during the regular season but returned to form down the stretch.

As Sunday’s 3:30 p.m. tipoff approaches at TD Garden, the Magic face not only the immediate challenge of competing with the defending champions but also the opportunity to gauge exactly how far they remain from championship contention. For Jeff Weltman, Magic president of basketball operations, this series offers a clear measuring stick for his rebuilding project.

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