The Orlando Magic (32-38) meet the Boston Celtics (46-23) Sunday at 5 p.m. ET in the NBA’s Orlando bubble
According to the online sports-book Betonline.ag The Celtics are 9 point favorites. Orlando is +320 on the moneyline. The Over/Under is set at 221 1/2.
Both teams are headed for the postseason. The Celtics are virtually locked into the 3 seed while Orlando appears to be headed for the 8 seed and a first round date with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Celtics won the first two meetings of the season, winning in Orlando as a 3-point underdog, 109-98, and then again in early February, 116-110, covering as a 5.5-point favorite.
The Celtics are injury free heading into the game. Guard Kemba Walker could see his minutes increase to 30-32 in this game. The Magic will be without Jonathan Isaac who is done for the year with a torn ACL, as well as Aaron Gordon (hamstring) Evan Fournier has (foot) and Michael Carter-Williams (illness).
The Celtics and Magic are teams headed in opposite directions in the NBA bubble. Orlando started strong winning its first two games before losing the next three, all to teams over 500.
As for the Celtics, after starting 1-2 in the bubble with losses to Eastern Conference contenders the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat the Celtics have been on a roll. They smoked the Brooklyn Nets 149-114 and then demolished the Toronto Raptors Friday night 122-100 as a 1.5-point underdog.
PREDICTION
The Celtics are full strength for this game and its too soon to start resting their starters. Brad Stevens will also want to continue the momentum from the past two games where the Celtics have looked like the best team in the NBA bubble. Expect the Celtics to cruise in this one. Take the Celtics laying 9 and hammer the over with this Celtics team averaging over 130 on their own the past couple times out.
Celtics 128 Magic 109
