The Celtics are headed into this one after the oddsmakers set last week's over/under low at 229.5, but even that wound up being too high. They fell 110-97 to the Raptors on Wednes

BOSTON – The Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics do battle for the second time this season Friday evening. Tipoff between the two Eastern Conference foes is at 7 p.m. ET from TD Garden. Each team will be looking to bounce back after uncharacteristic losses. But, one team will be much healthier when attempting to do so.

The Boston Celtics took care of business at home against the visiting Orlando Magic, cruising to a 121-94 win. Boston improves to 29-12 on the season with the result.

After Wednesday's loss at Milwaukee, Magic players pointed to an atypical lack of energy at the root of the rout. At Friday's shootaround, second-year guard Anthony Black said games like this one with the Celtics are the ones "hoopers get up for."

The Celtics made 17 3-pointers against the Magic on Friday night. Orlando ended with just 5. The long-range game was the difference.

Paolo Banchero’s return to the lineup for Orlando was supposed to take them from overachievers to contenders. That is a work in progress. The Magic have lost four of their last six. They lost most recently 122-93 Wednesday in Milwaukee. Boston was upset Wednesday in Toronto. The Raptors knocked off the defending champs 110-97.

The defending NBA Champions are back in action on Friday, Jan. 17 when the Boston Celtics host the Orlando Magic at TD Garden in Boston.

Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and the Boston Celtics ran past the Orlando Magic 121-94. With freshman star Cooper Flagg and his Duke teammates in the stands, Tatum, a former Blue Devils standout, went 12 of 21 from the floor to help Boston break out of a recent shooting slump.

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The Boston Celtics soundly defeated the visiting Orlando Magic Tuesday night, grabbing a 121-94 victory at home, and turning the page on a bad road loss to the Toronto Raptors earlier in the week. Orlando has one of the NBA's top defenses,

Amid their worst stretch of the season, the Celtics will try to regain their early-season form against the Magic.

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis, right, looks to shoot against Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP Photo/John Raoux)