Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics: preview, predictions and stats

Both Orlando and Boston head into this game in good form. The Magic have won two of their last three games, while the Celtics are riding a four-game winning streak. Need another reason to watch? Franz Wagner and Jayson Tatum will both be in action.

Magic vs Celtics date and time

Date: 1 November 2026.

Time: Here are the Magic vs Celtics start times by time zone.

United Kingdom	20:30
Dominican Republic, USA (Boston, New York and Miami), Puerto Rico and Venezuela	18:30
Mexico (central), USA (Texas and Chicago), El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua	15:30
Mexico (Pacific) and USA (Los Angeles)	13:30
Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay	18:30
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama	16:30

Venue: Kia Center (Orlando, Florida)

Magic vs Celtics starting fives

Orlando are dealing with several significant absences, including Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac. Boston, meanwhile, are without Mitchell Robinson.

MAGIC	CELTICS
Anthony Black	Derrick White
Jase Richardson	Jordan Walsh
Desmond Bane	Jayson Tatum
Franz Wagner	Paul George
Wendell Carter Jr.	Mitchell Robinson

Magic vs Celtics: best bet

With the Celtics on a winning run (four in a row) and the best player on the court (Jayson Tatum), we are backing Joe Mazzulla’s side to impose themselves in Florida.

Latest Magic news: absences and form

Things have improved slightly in Orlando, but there is still plenty of work to do. Despite losing Paolo Banchero to injury, the Magic have managed to pick up important victories over the Knicks and Raptors.

Those results are encouraging, but Orlando are desperate to break out of the Eastern Conference’s middle tier and establish themselves as genuine contenders. Losing Banchero is a major setback, especially with Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac also sidelined.

The biggest concern is the team’s inconsistency. Through their first five games, the Magic have a point differential of -8.9, the fourth-worst in the Eastern Conference.

Player to watch: Franz Wagner

A rare bright spot in a difficult start to the season. The German has stepped up in Banchero’s absence and comes into this game after an impressive performance against the Raptors, recording 26 points, 11 assists and five rebounds. Orlando will need him to maintain that level if they are to challenge Boston.

Latest Celtics news: absences and form

The Boston Celtics are once again looking like one of the strongest teams in the Eastern Conference. There were questions about the decision to replace Jaylen Brown with Paul George, but their 4-1 record, including four consecutive victories, suggests the move is paying off.

George is enjoying his best start to a season since leaving the Clippers, averaging 21.4 points per game while shooting 41 per cent from three-point range. Just as importantly, he appears to have settled comfortably into his role within the team.

Boston’s strong start has also been helped by their relatively good injury record, although Mitchell Robinson’s availability has been a concern ahead of this game.

Player to watch: Jayson Tatum

Who else? Despite shooting just 25 per cent from three-point range, Tatum continues to lead a Celtics team competing near the top of the Eastern Conference. He comes into this game after recording 26 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against the Bulls.

Magic vs Celtics: head-to-head record

Boston have historically held the upper hand in this fixture. Across 137 regular-season meetings, the Celtics have won 79 games compared with Orlando’s 58.

That dominance has continued in recent years, with Boston winning seven of the last ten meetings between the two teams.

Magic vs Celtics predictions

Over 24.5 points Jayson Tatum. He is the best player on the court and should stand out individually, especially when it comes to scoring.

Boston Celtics handicap -4.5. We do not think it will be a blowout in favour of the Massachusetts side, but they are better and will end up winning.

Under 222.5 total points. Orlando struggle to score –fourth-worst in the East with 109.8 points per game– and Boston have a great defence. We are backing a low score.