Could Magic take away Celtics’ greatest strength in first-round series?
"The most important thing is making sure we’re just as physical on the offensive end."
The Celtics are viewed as the overwhelming favorites (-6000) to take down the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
But even if Boston boasts the talent, depth, and experience needed to orchestrate another deep playoff run, that doesn’t mean that a stingy squad like the Magic still can’t give the Celtics some fits — especially on the offensive side of the ball.
As uninspiring as Orlando’s offense might be (108.9 offensive rating – 27th in NBA), Jamahl Mosley’s team has proven to be a thorn in the side of some of the top scoring teams in the league due in large part to a plodding approach that limits fast-break points and especially negates 3-point shooting.
Given Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics’ propensity to fire away from 3-point range, could Orlando prove to be a more daunting matchup than initially expected?
“They have a lot of great defenders,” Jayson Tatum said of the Magic on Wednesday. “They play to their style that benefits them on the defensive end. They kind of funnel you into the paint. They’re a big team.
“They have a lot of guys that will go at you, especially guys off the bench that make it difficult. So (that’s) something that you’ve got to be ready for.”
Orlando is one of the top defensive units in the NBA, leading the league by allowing just 105.5 points per game during the 2024-25 season.
A lot of that success is rooted in their ability to curtail a barrage of shots from beyond the arc, with Orlando limiting opponents to just 31.4 3-point attempts and 11.4 3-pointers made per contest — both stats standing as the fewest in the NBA.
Even with defensive ace Jalen Suggs out due to injury, Orlando has a roster full of athletic, lengthy swingmen like Paolo Banchero (6-foot-10) and Franz Wagner (6-foot-10) who can close out on shooters and limit teams from heaving up plenty of attempts from deep.
That hallmark of Orlando’s defensive approach directly clashes with Boston’s desire to fire up 3-pointers at a moment’s notice — with the Celtics coming off a regular season where it set the NBA record for the most made threes (1,457).
While the Celtics also have the means to score in the paint, Orlando’s 3-point defending would sap away Boston’s primary source of offense. During Boston’s first matchup against the Magic this season on Dec. 23, the Celtics sank just eight 3-pointers en route to a 108-104 loss — although Tatum did not play in that game.
“They’re a physical team,” Kristaps Porzingis said of Orlando. “They’re going to be big, they’re going to be handsy, and there are certain areas they’re good at. So we just have to make sure we do our best on those departments. And obviously, we’re preparing for an opponent, so we’re looking into what things they do well and trying to be excellent in those things.”
Even if the Magic succeed in limiting just how many 3-pointers Boston attempts in this series, that lower volume doesn’t exactly mean that the Celtics can’t still do damage with their sharpshooting.
Orlando might be the best in the league at limiting 3-point attempts, but opponents still converted on 36.5 percent of their 3-pointers against the Magic — which stood as the seventh-best mark in the league.
As effective as Orlando’s defense might be, the Celtics also have more than enough players on the roster who should be able to land punches from deep during this series — even as the Magic predictably key in on primary shooting options like Tatum and Derrick White out of the gate.
“The key to countering it is just take the shots that they give you and fight for the best shot,” Joe Mazzulla said of Orlando. “And they do a good job. They have a lot of defensive versatility, change their coverages up, and they’re really physical at the point of attack.
“So to me, the most important thing is making sure we’re just as physical on the offensive end, owning our space and fighting for the best shot we can in each possession.”
Add in the fact that Orlando’s own 3-point shooting is dismal (31.8 percent shooting percentage, last in the NBA), and the Magic may not even have the horses in place to keep pace with the Celtics’ hindered (but still dangerous) offensive approach.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com