The Boston Celtics head to Florida for Game 3 of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic. The game is set for Friday night at Kia Center with tipoff at 7:00 PM ET. Boston leads the series 2-0 after winning both games at home.
Boston won the last matchup 109-100 behind big efforts from Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown. The Magic are back home after being outscored in threes, free throws, and rebounds. Orlando looks to bounce back after two losses on the road.
Magic Preview – Time to Protect Home Court
Orlando enters Game 3 with a 42-43 overall record and 23-19 at home this season. They have already lost once to the Celtics in Orlando this year but did beat them twice on this floor during the regular season. The Magic were also down 0-2 in last year’s playoffs before winning two straight at home.
Paolo Banchero has been the top scorer, putting up 32 points and 9 rebounds in Game 2. Franz Wagner added 25 points and 4 assists. Wendell Carter Jr. chipped in with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting. The rest of the team scored just 10 combined field goals last game.
Orlando’s issues are beyond just scoring. They have been outrebounded 88-75 in the series. They are also behind on three-point shooting (84-51) and free throws (51 attempts allowed vs just 35 taken). The Magic need to clean that up to have a chance at home.
Celtics Preview – Depth Making the Difference
Boston went 63-21 in the regular season and 33-8 on the road. They lead the series 2-0 after holding the Magic to 86 and 100 points in the first two games. Their defense is ranked top in the NBA in points allowed per game at 105.4.
Jaylen Brown has stepped up with Jayson Tatum dealing with a wrist injury. Brown had 36 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2. Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and matched him with 10 rebounds. Payton Pritchard has been key off the bench with 33 total points through two games.
Derrick White added 30 points in Game 1 and 17 in Game 2. Al Horford grabbed 10 boards last game. Boston has also limited turnovers and is playing solid team defense. Jrue Holiday is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury, and Tatum remains doubtful for Friday.
Betting Prediction
Boston is a 3-point favorite on the road. The total is set at 195.5. The Celtics have won 27 of their last 32 games. They are 33-8 on the road this season. Orlando has covered the spread in only four of their last ten matchups with Boston.
Boston has better depth and defense. Even with some injury concerns, they have found ways to win. If they continue to get strong play from their role players, they should win again. A predicted score is 105-97 in favor of Boston.
Pick: Boston Celtics -3 over Orlando Magic
The Boston Celtics are going to win this game, and go ahead 3-0 in the series. Enjoy the game and best of luck with all your NBA betting!
