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Hall of Famer Magic Johnson shared a strong opinion ahead of the Orlando Magic’s first-round NBA Playoffs matchup against the reigning champion Boston Celtics. The former Lakers star posted his thoughts on X, formerly known as Twitter, making it clear he expects a short series.
“I’m also picking the Celtics over the Magic for their series,” Johnson wrote. “I want to say sweep but I’m thinking the Magic may squeeze out one win.”
The Celtics, who finished the regular season with a 61-21 record, enter the series as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and favorites to make another deep postseason run. However, Orlando is not without recent success against Boston. Since Paolo Banchero was drafted in 2022, the Magic have posted a 6-4 record against the Celtics — one of the few teams to hold a winning record over them in that span.
Despite finishing this season with a 41-41 record, the Magic have shown flashes of high-level play. Last season, Orlando earned the fifth seed with a 47-35 record and pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first round. Injuries, however, played a significant role in their drop-off this year. Both Banchero and Franz Wagner missed extended time with torn oblique injuries—34 games and 20 games respectively—limiting the team’s consistency.
Magic enter playoff series shorthanded but confident after limiting Celtics all season
Orlando will remain without key contributors Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner, both of whom suffered season-ending injuries. Suggs missed 35 games, while Wagner missed 52. Still, in three matchups against the Celtics this season, the Magic managed to win the season series 2-1 and held Boston to its lowest scoring average against any Eastern Conference opponent — 100.3 points per game. However, it’s worth noting that Orlando’s win on April 9 came in a game where Boston rested several starters.
The Magic also limited the Celtics to 29% shooting from beyond the arc in those games, well below their season average of 36.8%. Offensively, Orlando averaged 99.3 points while shooting 31% from three—figures in line with their season-long struggles, ranking 27th in scoring (105.4) and 30th in three-point percentage (31.8%).
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are expected to shoulder much of the offensive burden for Orlando. Since the All-Star break, Banchero has averaged 29.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 47.3% from the field and 33.3% from three. Wagner added 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and one steal per game on 45.9% shooting during that same stretch.
Meanwhile, Boston’s biggest concern entering the series may be the health of 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. According to The Athletic’s Jay King, Brown has been managing right knee soreness and “received injections for the knee shortly before the end of the regular season.” King added, “He was on a minutes restriction beginning in mid-March and, though the Celtics have sounded optimistic about his form at practices, he remains their biggest question mark with Game 1 days away.”
The series will begin Sunday afternoon at TD Garden, with Game 1 scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
