The Boston Celtics will look to overcome the second opponent to give them trouble in recent memory as the Orlando Magic enter the first of two games between the two teams in three days on Friday night.
It may only be mid-December, but this series could have a huge impact on the final Eastern Conference playoff picture, as Boston holds just a two-game lead over Philadelphia and Orlando, who are tied for third.
After Boston went 1-3 against Cleveland last season, the Celtics swept Cleveland again for the third straight day, beating the Cavaliers 120-113 on Tuesday and 116-107 on Thursday. The win puts Boston at 12-0 at home this season, but coach Joe Mazula knows the team’s mindset shouldn’t change no matter where they play.”We have to be able to play regardless of the conditions and we’re starting to learn now and we’re not going to let that define us,” he said.
Jayson Tatum posted a double-double in back-to-back wins over Cleveland on Thursday, including 27 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown, initially questionable with a left ankle injury, added 18 of his 22 points in the first half. Teammate Derrick White believes it’s not just the star duo’s stats that are responsible for Boston’s 50.6 percent success rate. “I work hard day and night, but it doesn’t show on the stat sheet,” White said. “We are grateful to have them.” Like Cleveland, Orlando recently dominated the series against Boston with four wins last December. “I understand because we’re the Celtics and where there’s an expectation that, ‘Yeah, two or three teams are going to make it (difficult), but it’s going to be easy,’ we have to win every year, it’s not just that.” case, – Mazzulla said. ‘It’s not the NBA.
‘Orlando’s streak against Boston continued this season with a 113-96 win on Nov. 1. 24. Moritz Wagner had 27 points and Tatum had 26 to lead the Celtics to just 40.8 percent shooting.
The Wizards haven’t allowed Boston to score 100 points in three straight games, and their last two opponents, Detroit last Friday and Cleveland Monday, were each held to fewer than 95 points. “I think you keep preaching what you know about travel. “It’s the defense,” Orlando coach Jamal Mosley said. “It’s who we are and we’re going to continue to stand by that.”Orlando, which hasn’t advanced to the playoffs since 2020, is 11-2 since November 15.
Monday’s 104-94 home win against Cleveland was the team’s second straight loss, ending a nine-game winning streak, the longest in the NBA this season. Paolo Banchero, Orlando’s leading scorer in two of the last three games, had 20 points and 10 rebounds on Monday.
He scored 11 points as Orlando overcame a 30-15 deficit in the third quarter. “We don’t want to be a doormat anymore and we don’t want to be the team that people say, ‘It’s just the Orlando Magic,'” guard Jalen Suggs said. “We want to be such a tough team and you have to bring your intelligence, full mental energy and physical ability when you play for us.”The Celtics played Thursday without center Luke Cornette, whose game was delayed by a center injury.
As a result, Lamar Stevens scored four points in nine minutes in his first action since Nov. 28.
