The Boston Celtics find themselves about as healthy as they can reasonably hope to be this year heading into their third regular season encounter against the Orlando Magic. Boston thoroughly outplayed the Magic during the first round of the playoffs last spring, winning 4-1.
But that Celtics team boasted a roster that included six-time All-Star power forward Jayson Tatum, six-time All-Defensive Team point guard Jrue Holiday, one-time All-Star center Kristaps Porzingis, and reserve big men Al Horford and Luke Kornet.
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Now, all of those pieces save Tatum are off Boston’s roster. Tatum, of course, is likely out for most or even all of 2025-26 recovering from the Achilles tendon rupture he suffered in the second round of the playoffs, a 4-2 series upset loss to the New York Knicks.
This will be Boston’s third encounter with Orlando this season. The Celtics have gone 1-1 in their prior two matchups, both earlier this month.
Boston’s Bumpy Season Start
At 8-8, the Celtics look like anything but the world-beaters they have been with a healthy Jayson Tatum. Boston has already racked up losses to likely lottery teams the Utah Jazz (5-10), the Washington Wizards (1-15 — yes, the Wizards’ defeat of the Celtics was their only win of the year so far), the Memphis Grizzlies (6-11), and, most shockingly, the Brooklyn Nets (3-12) on Friday.
Will the Celtics, in possession of their own pick ahead of what’s supposedly a stacked draft, ultimately opt to gently tank down this season’s home stretch so they can land in the lottery? Time will tell.
Currently led by four-time All-Star small forward Jaylen Brown and incumbent guards Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, the Celtics have struggled with consistency on both ends of the court. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has been shuffling around his rotations. At present, his preferred starting unit appears to be Pritchard and White in the backcourt, Brown and third-year pro Jordan Walsh at forward, and center Neemias Queta.
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Queta had been the fourth-string option for Boston during its past two seasons, but has vaulted into the starting role almost by default, having apparently outplayed other contenders like Luka Garza, Chris Boucher and even Xavier Tillman, who at 6-foot-8 is more of a power forward. For now, Boucher and Tillman aren’t even in Mazzulla’s rotation.
According to a recent league injury report, only Tatum and two-way players Amari Williams, Max Shulga and Ron Harper Jr. are all with the Celtics’ NBAGL team, the Maine Celtics.
The 10-7 Magic, meanwhile, have been gradually rounding into form. Orlando has won its last three straight bouts, and seven of its last 10 overall.
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