Friday night at the Kia Center, the Orlando Magic gained a sliver of revenge for the Boston Celtics bouncing them from the first round of last year's playoffs. The hosts survived a slugfest, prevailing 123-110 in an NBA Cup contest. They did so by shifting into a gear the visitors couldn't match in the final frame. Instead, sloppy play defined Boston's closing stretch, as it fell to 4-6 in the first 10 tilts of the 2025-26 campaign.
Now the Celtics will aim to even the score of this two-game mini-series. As they prepare for Sunday's contest, they will welcome back Xavier Tillman Sr. The six-year veteran did not play in Friday's loss due to personal reasons. However, he is no longer listed on Boston's injury report. The only person on there is Jayson Tatum as he rehabs from a torn Achilles tendon.
Tillman has played in seven of the nine matchups that he has been available for. He is producing 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per contest. Beyond the stat sheet, with his knee healthy and the 26-year-old now sporting a more slim figure after losing 12 pounds this offseason, his defensive mobility is once again on display.
Perhaps Joe Mazzulla will call upon his switchable veteran center on Sunday. And if his improved shooting mechanics translate to him knocking down attempts from behind the arc, it will help keep him on the floor and aid Boston's search for more production off the bench from the center position.
Who's inactive for the Magic?
While the Celtics have a reinforcement on the way for Round 2 of this mini-series, there are no changes to Orlando's injury report. Fortunately for the hosts, that's actually a positive development.
The only player unavailable for the Magic is Moritz Wagner. The seven-year veteran is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in December. He is yet to make his season debut.
The six-foot-11 center appeared in nine games with Boston during the 2020-21 campaign. He went from there to Orlando, where he has found an NBA home. Wagner has spent five years with the Magic. While carving out his place in the league, he has been able to team with his brother, Franz.
The one coming off the bench to provide productive minutes at the center position is averaging 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in 18 minutes during his tenure with Orlando.
While he will return soon to help boost the Magic's bench, tomorrow, he's a spectator for the second half of a two-tilt mini-series that tips off at 6:00 p.m. EST.