Magic vs Celtics Free Pick, NBA Free Picks, NBA Predictions 1/17/25
- J.A. Cavalier
- Jan 17
- 3 min read
ORLANDO @ BOSTON (BOS -12.5, 210.5)
NBA ODDS, NBA PREDICTIONS, NBA PREVIEWS
MAGIC @ CELTICS 1/17/25
The Boston Celtics are currently struggling to reclaim their status as repeat NBA champions, as they prepare to play against Orlando Magic at their home court this Friday.
Boston went on the losing end in their recent game against Toronto, 110-97, bringing their record to a 7-7 in their previous 14 matches. In the final three quarters, Boston was overwhelmed by Toronto 85-68 and, for the third time this season, failed to score 100 points — all of these occasions occurring in the last trio of their losses.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla sent a clear directive to his team after their recent defeat. He told his team they must come together. They must realize that things won’t always go their way and they must work together to overcome the trials they face.
Kristaps Porzingis played well for Boston on Wednesday, scoring 18 points for Boston. Porzingis made 7 out of 11 shot attempts, including four three-pointers. He also had eight rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. He has now made at least three three-pointers in each of his last three games.
The Celtics have suffered significant defeats in three out of their last five games. Boston has not experienced anything like this in their initial 35 games of the season. On the other hand, the Orlando Magic are experiencing their own challenges. They experienced losses in three out of their last four matches, including a 122-93 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday.
Paolo Banchero scored 22 points in the game against the Bucks, despite making seven turnovers. This was his third game after his comeback from a right oblique injury which had him benched for 34 games.
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley pointed out after the Milwaukee loss that this is not his team’s usual game. Orlando's season-long struggle has been their three-point shooting. The Magic shoot a disappointing 30.7 percent - the worst in the NBA - from behind the three-point arc. They also had a poor performance last Wednesday, shooting 26.1 percent in 46 attempts from behind the three-point line.
While Orlando has the lowest average points allowed per game among Eastern Conference teams (103.7), they are at the bottom of the NBA in terms of scoring offense (104.5 points per game). Meanwhile, Boston holds the second position in the Eastern Conference in average points for and against.
This Friday's face-off between the Magic and Celtics will mark their second encounter in this season. In their last match-up on December 23, the Magic came back from a 15-point deficit at halftime to secure a 108-104 win at home.
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COACH RICK FREE PICK:
UNDER 210.5
These are two of the best defenses in the NBA. Orlando ranks No. 2 in the NBA in scoring defense holding opponents to 103.2 points per game. Boston ranks sixth at 108.7. On offense, Orlando is dead last in the NBA in scoring. The Magic are the worst three-point shooting team in the NBA and, as a result, they score just 104.8 points per game. Part of their scoring woes are related to their pace. The Magic play at the slowest pace in the NBA. Boston ranks 22nd in pace, but they are very efficient on the offensive end and rank fifth in scoring. However, lately they have had their issues, failing to reach 100 points in 3 of their last 5 games. The Under has cashed in 7 of the last 10 Celtics games and 9 of the last 12 Magic games.
