Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Game 5 Prediction, NBA Odds
The 3-1 series lead hasn’t come easy for the Celtics, who earned a split in Orlando after a 107-98 win in Game 4. Jayson Tatum’s wrist injury is not a concern any longer after he dropped a game-high 37 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday’s win. Jaylen Brown added a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Orlando’s Paolo Banchero finished with 31 points and Franz Wagner added 24.
Both teams are trading punches with their top two scorers, but the defending champion Celtics are completely overpowering the feisty Magic when it comes to depth. The seven-seeded Magic have not been able to replace the offensive production of Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner, who are out for the season.
Tip-off at TD Garden goes at 8:30 p.m. EDT with Boston -12.5 on the point spread and the over-under at 199.5 on the NBA odds.
Magic vs. Celtics Game 5 Betting Odds
Scoring 100 points is the benchmark the Celtics need in this series, as they are now 3-0 when doing so and 0-1 when they don’t. Orlando’s yet to go over 100 points in a game this series which is ruining the Magic’s exceptional defensive play. Through four games, both teams have covered twice and the over and under have both hit twice.
The series shifting back to Boston makes a comeback bid even harder for the Magic. The Celtics are a perfect 5-0 in their last five times hosting Orlando, who enter Game 5 with a 19-24 record on the road this season. Orlando coming back to win the series is at +5000 odds.
Boston is currently +200 to win the NBA Finals, with Jayson Tatum +275 to win NBA Finals MVP. Both are the second-highest odds available.
Orlando Magic
Orlando is averaging just under 94 points per game this series and the duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are making up for nearly 63 per cent of those points. Banchero and Wagner are consistently scoring for the Magic but after them the offence is extremely slim. Wendell Carter Jr.’s averaging 10 points a game and Anthony Black is getting 7.7 off the bench and the list of Orlando players scoring at least five points per game ends there.
The give-and-take approach isn’t working for the Magic either, as the production of Banchero and Wagner is now getting washed out by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown which feels like it’s becoming an intentional strategy by Boston. It’s been the calling cry all series, but Orlando still needs an additional offensive threat from here on out or their season will be over shortly.
Boston Celtics
Only six of Boston’s 107 points in Game 4 came from the bench as Joe Mazzulla let his starters go to work in the Celtics first road win of the post-season. It was also Boston’s first victory in Orlando since October 2022, and now the Celtics are in a position to close out this series at home.
Boston was again without point guard Jrue Holiday (hamstring) in Game 4, allowing veteran Al Horford to get another start. Mazzulla gave the 38-year-old Horford some extra minutes in Game 4 after Kristaps Porzingis got into some foul trouble, and Horford delivered on defence with five blocked shots. Boston shot just nine for 31 from three in Game 4 and are at 36.6 per cent rate from deep this series — something that needs to improve as the playoffs go on.
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