Celtics First Round Series Set, Will Face Off Against Magic

The Boston Celtics' first-round opponent is set. The Celtics will host the Orlando Magic for their first-round series as they prepare to defend their title starting this weekend.

Round 1 set ☘️ How many games will this series be? 👀 pic.twitter.com/Eu2nqGeCwh
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 16, 2025

The Magic defeated the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night to officially clinch the No.7 seed in the Eastern Conference, 120-95.

The Celtics will take on a Magic team they struggled with this past season.

Boston lost the season series over the Magic, losing two of three matchups. The latest loss the Celtics suffered to the Magic came last week, late in the season. Boston was without all of its top players, such as Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday.

Their first meeting came two days before Christmas, and the Celtics lost to the Magic 108-104 on the road. Boston was at full strength in that contest, but due to poor shooting by the C's, shooting 44 percent from the field and 24.2 percent from three, they lost that contest.

In the second matchup, the Celtics easily defeated the Magic, 121-94, in front of their home fans. Boston's shooting situation was much better, night and day, compared to their last meeting, as the Celtics shot 52.5 percent from the field and 45.9 percent from three. Boston also rebounded the Magic by four, 41-37.

The Magic entered this season with high hopes, as they took the Cleveland Cavaliers to the brink in the first round last season as the No. 5 seed.

This season, however, Orlando was riddled with injuries. Two of their key players, Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner, are out for the season. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, two of their best players, missed a handful of games due to their injuries.

The Celtics are expected to take care of business against the Magic, but Orlando’s top duo—Wagner and Banchero—won’t make it easy.

The Magic’s defense is the real deal. With their length and defensive versatility, they have the tools to disrupt Boston’s rhythm and make this series more competitive than expected.

Offensively, Orlando has struggled for most of the season, finishing 27th in offensive rating at 108.9. But on the other end of the floor, they’ve been elite—ranking second in defensive rating at 109.1.

Their net rating reflects the contrast, sitting 17th overall at -0.2.

Boston shoots and makes a lot of threes. The Celtics attempt 48.2 threes per game, which ranks No. 1 by a landslide. On the other hand, the Magic ranks 23rd in threes attempted at 34.6.

This battle won't be easy, but the Celtics should advance and host the New York Knicks or the Detroit Pistons in the next round.

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