Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic Prediction & Match Preview - May 5th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Boston Celtics will travel to the Sunshine State as they take on the Orlando Magic in the final meeting between the two sides in the 2020-21 NBA season.
The two Eastern Conference clubs have already met twice this campaign, with the Boston Celtics holding a 2-0 series lead over their opponents.
Heading into Wednesday's contest, Jayson Tatum and crew have split their last four games. As things stand at the time of writing, the Boston Celtics have a 34-31 record, resting at 7th in the East. Brad Stevens' men are only one game behind the sixth-placed Miami Heat.
Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic have winning momentum as they are on a modest two-game winning streak at the moment. That said, the Magic have one of the worst records in the association this year. Steve Clifford's side will roll out at home with a 21-44 record behind them, nearing the bottom of their conference in 14th place.
Match Details
Fixture: Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic Prediction - NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 7:00 PM ET. (Thursday 4:30 AM IST)
Venue: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics continue to be unpredictable. With the 2020-21 regular season about to reach its conclusion, the C's have gone 5-5 in their past ten games and will be eager to add a couple of wins to achieve a higher seed.
Playing against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, the Boston Celtics recorded their 31st loss of the campaign. The usual suspect, Jayson Tatum, led the charge with a 33-point outing but failed to secure the win for his side. Meanwhile, Evan Fournier had one of his best performances since joining the Celtics, adding 21 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists.
The C's two All-Stars, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, were injured late in their game against the Trail Blazers after colliding with each other on the sidelines. That said, the severity of their injuries has been downgraded, and there is a good chance they will suit up for the game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
Key Player - Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum has been firing on all cylinders of late, registering four 30+ point games in his last five appearances for the Boston Celtics. Tatum also recorded a whopping 60-point outing against the Spurs this past Friday. Considering his fine form, Tatum could once again be the player to watch out for in Wednesday's contest.
Playing 58 games for the Boston Celtics, Tatum is averaging a career-best 26.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 35.9 minutes per game. The 4th year forward is clocking 45.9% shooting accuracy from the floor and 39.3% from the 3-point line.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Evan Fournier l Shooting Guard - Marcus Smart l Small Forward - Jaylen Brown l Power Forward - Jayson Tatum l Center - Tristan Thompson
Orlando Magic Preview
After defeating the Memphis Grizzlies by one point on Saturday, the Orlando Magic comfortably defeated the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Steve Clifford's side witnessed as many as seven players scoring in double digits en route to their 21st victory of the campaign.
The starters took a back seat to the Magic's second unit, with RJ Hampton (16 points, 10 rebounds), Chasson Randle (18 points, 5 rebounds) and Ignas Brazdeikis (14 points) playing their roles to perfection. However, the night belonged to Mohamed Bamba. The center dazzled with a double-double performance consisting of a team-high 22 points to go along with fifteen rebounds, guiding the Orlando Magic to a 119-112 result in their favor.
Key Player - Cole Anthony
With several key players still on the injury list, the Orlando Magic will look to their promising young guard Cole Anthony to lead the charge against the Celtics at home. Anthony wowed crowds recently as he hit a game-winning 3-pointer against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. The rookie also dropped a career-high 26 points against Ja Morant and company.
Anthony has played 40 games for the Orlando Magic this season. The 20-year-old is averaging 12.3 points per game on 39.7% shooting from the field and 33.6% from the three-point line. In addition to scoring, he also adds 4.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for coach Steve Clifford's side.
Orlando Magic Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Cole Anthony l Shooting Guard - Gary Harris l Small Forward - Dwayne Bacon l Power Forward - Moritz Wagner l Center - Wendell Carter Jr.
Celtics vs Magic Match Prediction
The Orlando Magic have winning momentum behind them and will fancy their chances of pulling off another upset. Much will depend on the entire cast chipping in for an all-around performance. Cole Anthony has been playing well in recent stretches and could produce another stellar outing for his side.
In the first two meetings between the two Eastern Conference clubs, the Boston Celtics cruised to victory with a double-digit margin on both occasions. Jayson Tatum has been on fire from the floor and could deliver another game-winning presentation on the road. On that note, we predict the Boston Celtics will come out on top in Wednesday's contest.
Where to watch Celtics vs Magic?
The game between the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic will be telecast on Bally Sports Florida and NBC Sports Boston. Fans can also live stream the game via the NBA League Pass.