Celtics Visit Short-Handed Magic Seeking Fifth Straight Win

Featured image: Kia Center, home of the Orlando Magic, in December 2024 (file photo). Photo: Csab6482, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

The Boston Celtics take a four-game winning streak into Orlando on Sunday, Nov. 1, and the Celtics Magic matchup at Kia Center (3:30 p.m. ET) puts a 4-1 Boston team against a 2-3 Orlando team that ESPN’s injury report shows missing Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac.

How Boston got to 4-1

The Celtics opened the season with a 121-113 loss at Detroit on Oct. 20, according to the Celtics schedule and results on ESPN. They have won every game since: 107-103 over New York on Oct. 23, 134-99 over Chicago on Oct. 26, 125-124 in overtime over Brooklyn on Oct. 27 and 125-111 over Chicago on Oct. 30.

The Brooklyn game was the closest call. Jayson Tatum scored 40 points and hit the game-winner at the buzzer, as TBR reported in its Celtics-Nets recap. Payton Pritchard has carried the bench scoring in both Chicago games, with 28 points in the 134-99 win and 30 in Friday’s 125-111 NBA Cup win.

Tatum leads Boston at 27.6 points, 7.8 assists and 6.4 rebounds per game, according to the ESPN game preview. Boston sits third in the Eastern Conference standings. ESPN’s injury report lists two Celtics as out for Sunday: Mitchell Robinson (rest) and Devin Carter (illness).

Orlando without its top scorer

Orlando is 2-3 and ninth in the East. The Magic lost their first two games, 132-125 to Atlanta and 115-93 to Minnesota, then won 111-102 at New York before splitting a two-game set in Toronto: a 129-99 loss on Oct. 28 and a 121-114 win on Oct. 30, according to ESPN.

ESPN’s injury report lists Banchero (ankle), Suggs (knee), Isaac (knee), Noah Penda (hamstring) and Izaiyah Nelson (ankle) as out. With Banchero sidelined, Franz Wagner leads Orlando at 20.8 points and 7.0 assists per game, and Wendell Carter Jr. leads the team at 8.6 rebounds, per ESPN.

By the numbers: the gap between the two teams

Boston averages 120.8 points and allows 111.6, while Orlando averages 109.8 and allows 118.4, according to team statistics in the ESPN preview. By TBR’s calculation, that is a scoring margin of plus-9.2 per game for the Celtics and minus-8.6 for the Magic, a gap of 17.8 points per game between the two teams after five games each.

The Celtics shoot 47% from the field and 37% from three-point range, and they average 43.6 rebounds and 27.8 assists. Orlando averages 39.4 rebounds. Ball security is a weak spot for both sides: Boston averages 15.8 turnovers per game and Orlando 17.0.

Five games is a small sample. Boston’s average is lifted by the 35-point win over Chicago, and two of its four wins were decided by four points or fewer. Still, the betting market and ESPN’s model both favor Boston on the road. As of midday Sunday, DraftKings listed the Celtics as 7.5-point favorites (moneyline -270) with an over/under of 220.5, and ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Boston a 63.3% chance to win, according to the preview page.

Last season and what comes next

Boston went 56-26 in 2025-26 and Orlando went 45-37, including 26-16 at home, according to the ESPN preview. The teams meet four times this season, and Sunday’s game is the first.

After Orlando, the Celtics continue their road trip at Houston on Monday, Nov. 2, according to their ESPN schedule. A win on Sunday would give Boston five straight victories.

Sources

• ESPN: Celtics at Magic game preview, team statistics, injuries and odds, Nov. 1, 2026
• ESPN: Boston Celtics 2026-27 schedule and results
• ESPN: Orlando Magic 2026-27 schedule and results
• ESPN: NBA standings
• ESPN: Orlando Magic injury report

Additional sources

• Wikimedia Commons: Kia Center photo (CC0)