The Boston Celtics bring a four-game winning streak into a Sunday afternoon matinee against the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center, aiming to build on a 4-1 start to the season.
Boston enters the 3:30 p.m. matchup riding the momentum of guard Payton Pritchard, who has delivered consecutive offensive explosions. Pritchard tallied 30 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals in Friday’s NBA Cup victory, just days after putting up 28 points on Monday in a pair of wins over the Chicago Bulls. Through the team’s first five contests, Pritchard is averaging 16.6 points per game.
Following Friday’s victory, Pritchard credited head coach Joe Mazzulla with sharpening his focus. “[Coach Joe Mazzulla] challenged me,” Pritchard said. “I feel like the first four games [this season] my defensive activity and my rebounding have been poor, so [he was] challenging me to step up in those areas.”
Mazzulla expressed high expectations for the guard’s overall trajectory. “I think Payton’s a guy that gets better every year, and I think the sky’s the limit for him,” Mazzulla said. “I think he hasn’t completely tapped into the player that he can become, and that’s just being complete on both ends of the floor and not being defined by one thing.”
As a team, the Celtics have established a potent offensive rhythm early in the campaign, averaging 120.8 points per game to rank third across the NBA while allowing 111.6 points per contest. Boston shoots 47.4 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from beyond the arc, holding opponents to 42.8 percent overall shooting and 33.5 percent from deep. The Celtics carry a 2-2 record against the spread with one push and a 3-1 over/under mark.
Orlando stands at 2-3 overall and is seeking its first home victory, sitting at 0-2 at the Kia Center. The Magic returned from a three-game road trip where they went 2-1, most recently splitting a pair of games against the Toronto Raptors. After dropping a 129-99 decision on Wednesday, Orlando bounced back with a 121-114 road victory on Friday, erasing a two-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter with a closing 21-12 run.
Statistically, the Magic average 109.8 points per game, ranking 23rd in the league, while yielding 114.8 points per contest. Orlando connects on 45.7 percent of its field goal attempts and 35.3 percent of its three-pointers, while opponents shoot 46.5 percent overall and 36.4 percent from long range. The team holds a 2-3 record against the spread and a 3-2 over/under standing.
Both squads deal with notable roster absences. The Magic injury report lists Paolo Banchero out with an ankle injury, Jonathan Isaac out with a knee injury, Izaiyah Nelson out with an ankle injury, Noah Penda out with a hamstring issue, and Jalen Suggs out with a knee injury. The Celtics report guard Devin Carter as out due to an illness.
Sunday’s matchup features a betting line with Boston favored by 6.5 points and an over/under set at 222.5. Broadcast coverage is available via NBCSB, with radio commentary on WBZ-FM 98.5.
