On Wednesday, April 23rd, the Boston Celtics host the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of their opening-round series in the 2024-25 NBA Playoffs. The Celtics are the betting favorites to win the Eastern Conference this year, and the defending champions are expected to roll in this series against the Magic. But Game 1 definitely had some unsettling moments for Boston, and Jayson Tatum is listed as doubtful for Game 2. So, this should be an interesting one.
Keep reading for Magic vs. Celtics odds and predictions, and make sure you come back to VSiN throughout the course of the NBA Playoffs. We’ll have previews of every single series and daily best bets/player props. We’ll also have betting trends and insights from our analytics guru Steve Makinen. Of course, we’ll also be talking about all of this on our live programming too! It’s a great time to be a VSiN subscriber, so make sure you check out our $59 Summer Special. That’ll give you full access to everything we have to offer until August 1st!
How To Watch Magic vs. Celtics
Where: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
When: 7:00 pm ET on Wednesday, April 23rd
Channel: TNT
Magic vs. Celtics Odds
(Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook and accurate as of Wednesday, April 23rd at 12:30 pm ET)
Moneyline: Celtics -535, Magic +400
Spread: Celtics -10.5 (-110), Magic +10.5 (-110)
Total: Over 196 (-110), Under 196 (-110)
Magic vs. Celtics Prediction
I didn’t think I’d find myself playing much in this series, as we know where it’s heading and it’s absolutely miserable to watch. However, given Tatum’s doubtful tag, it’s hard not to jump in with a play on the Magic. Not only is Tatum unlikely to play tonight, but this already looks like a rough series for Jaylen Brown. The wing is dealing with a knee injury right now, and he didn’t look all that comfortable in Game 1. That said, it’s fair to question where the Celtics will be getting the offense required to win by 11 or more this evening.
Having no Jalen Suggs is obviously a blow to the Magic defense, but the group was still third in the NBA in adjusted defensive rating (109.3) this season. We know for a fact that Orlando is going to compete hard on the defensive end, and having the ability to throw Franz Wagner on Brown should be a cheat code in a game with no Tatum. Realistically, if the Magic just do a good job of containing Derrick White, this should be a close game late. That’s obviously easier said than done after the guard went for 30 in Game 1, but he was 7 for 12 from 3 in that game and likely won’t repeat that performance.
Offensively, it’s fair to have real concerns about this Magic team. And seeing Cory Joseph flirting with 30 minutes won’t do anything to quell those concerns. But Tatum’s absence won’t just be a problem for Boston’s offense: He’s also one of the league’s more reliable wing defenders. So, this really could end up being a game in which Wagner and Paolo Banchero find their footing, makings things much easier on the rest of the Orlando role players.
Under Jamahl Mosley, the Magic also happen to be 35-24-1 against the spread as road underdogs of 6.5 to 12 points. They’re also 3-1 ATS when trailing in a playoff series, so they responded well to adversity in last year’s series against the Cavaliers — though it is a small sample size.
Bet: Magic +10.5 (-102 – 1.5 units)
