Preview: Celtics Begin Brief Two-Game Road Trip in Orlando, Take on Magic
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The Celtics dropped a tough one to the Trailblazers this past Sunday, 129-119. After a two-day break, they are now in Orlando to take on the Magic.
HOW TO WATCH
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Fla.
Time: 7:00 p.m. (EST)
Channel(s): NBC Sports Boston
PLAYER STATS
Orlando is in full rebuild mode but is led in scoring by veteran Terrence Ross (15.6). Big man Wendell Carter has also been playing well since he was traded to the magic at the deadline, putting up 12.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game with the team. Cole Anthony (12.), Gary Harris (11.2), and Dwayne Bacon (10.8) are also putting up solid numbers. Old friend Mortiz Wagner has also been playing well since the Magic picked him up, averaging 10.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in four games.
Jayson Tatum still leads the way for the Celtics, scoring 36.8 points a night over the last five games. Jaylen Brown has also been impressive, putting up 26.0 a night over that same stretch. Marcus Smart (13.0), Aaron Nesmith (10.8), and Payton Pritchard (10.8) round out Boston’s double-digit scorers over the last five.
RECENT GAMES
The Magic have been struggling lately, losing seven of their last ten games. They are currently 21-44 and sit at 13th in the Eastern Conference. Despite their struggles, Orlando has actually won three of their last four games.
Boston has dropped the ball in recent games, going 5-5 in their last ten. They are 34-31 on the season, good for seventh in the Eastern Conference. Luckily for them, the Heat are only 0.5 games ahead of them, and they still hold a two-game lead over the eighth-place Hornets.
INJURIES
Aside from their well-known injuries (Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac), the Magic have a pretty lengthy injury report. Otto Porter Jr. (foot), Chuma Okeke (ankle), James Ennis III (calf), Michael Carter-Williams (ankle), and Ross (back) are all out for tonight’s game.
For the C’s, Brown is listed as out due to a sprained ankle which occurred at the end of the last game during his collision with Tatum. Tristan Thompson is also listed as questionable due to a left pectoral strain. Kemba Walker is no longer listed on the injury report.
KEYS TO THE GAME
Regardless of their record, the Magic are a young team that is going to come to fight. They have an extremely youthful backcourt in RJ Hampton and Anthony, who are most likely going to push the pace. Boston will have to keep things moving and not hang their heads after missed opportunities. Orlando will most certainly take advantage of that.
With Thompson listed as questionable, the Celtics are going to rely on Robert Williams a lot tonight. While he is more than capable of stepping up, guys like Luke Kornet and Grant Williams are also going to have to step into a larger role. Carter, Wagner, and Mo Bamba may not be top-tier centers, but Kornet and Williams are still going to have to play larger roles than they are used to. This means no mental lapses and no missed opportunities on offense.
Lastly, Tatum is going to have to put on a show once again. Brown is out, so it will be up to him and Walker to carry the load on offense. Solid contributions from three by Nesmith and Pritchard have been helping, but the drive-and-kick game will have to be on point tonight. Tatum has done a great job of getting to the rim lately, and he has to keep it up in this one.
PREGAME SHOW
Make sure to tune in to our live pregame show, “The Banner Town Build Up.” We are live 30 minutes before every Celtics game @GuyBostonSports on YouTube and Facebook. See you there at 6:30 p.m. (EST) tonight!
