The Boston Celtics have entered the 2025 NBA Playoffs with extraordinary momentum. They're the defending champions, one of the hottest teams in the Association at 19-3 since Mar. 1, and are positioned to have home-court advantage until the Conference Finals.
Anything less than a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals would be a shocking result, but the Celtics can't afford to look past their first-round matchup.
Boston will host the Orlando Magic in a first-round series that pits the future of the Eastern Conference against the present. The Celtics should win the series, as they have talent and experience advantages that can't be overstated.
For those expecting the Magic to be an easy opponent to dismantle, however, a rude awakening could be just over the horizon.
If Boston takes Orlando lightly, a mortifying upset would be a far more realistic possibility than some might believe. The Magic are a disciplined team with a high-tier head coach and the top-line talent to compete with anyone they encounter.
No one would fear an upset if they never actually happened, and if the Celtics don't treat the Magic as a viable threat, they'll be setting themselves up for disaster.
Celtics should win the series, but the Magic aren't a pushover
Injuries unfortunately defined the regular-season series between Boston and Orlando in 2024-25. Either one or both of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner missed the first two games the two sides played, and the Celtics sat their starters during the third encounter.
The Magic won the regular-season series, however, emerging victorious from two of the three games played.
That in no way makes Orlando the favorite in this series, but it's a testament to how well-coached this team is. It finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the NBA in defensive rating and No. 1 in opponent three-point field goals made per game.
Boston can shoot against just about anyone, but if it's expecting to get easy shots up on the No. 7 seed, it's in for a rude awakening.
Furthermore, Orlando is one of the few teams with a two-headed monster that can match up directly with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Boston, again, holds the advantage in the talent department in this matchup, but Banchero and Wagner are two of the fastest-rising stars in the NBA.
The 22-year-old Banchero averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game in 2024-25, while the 23-year-old Wagner posted 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.
If the Celtics come into this series expecting a fight, they should be able to somewhat hastily defeat a Magic team that admittedly misses Jalen Suggs. If Boston allows its ego to get the best of it, however, then Orlando could give the defending champions trouble.
It may seem like an impossible outcome, but history shows how easy it is for a contender to bow out of the playoffs when a star=led opponent is overlooked.