The Boston Celtics are on the verge of closing out their first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic, taking a commanding 3-1 lead into Tuesday night’s Game 5 showdown at TD Garden.
Boston enters as heavy 11.5-point favorites on their home court, where they’ve dominated the Magic all season.
Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET with national coverage on NBA TV.
The Celtics seized control of the series with a gutsy 107-98 road win in Sunday’s Game 4, pulling away late after a tightly contested battle.
“This was a big win on the road in a tough physical environment against a team that has been playing well,” said Jaylen Brown, who delivered 21 points and 11 rebounds despite nursing a knee injury that has him listed as questionable for Game 5.
Jayson Tatum was simply unstoppable, pouring in 37 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in 42 minutes of action.
Game 4 was deadlocked at 91-91 before Boston took command, going on a decisive 10-1 run and outscoring Orlando 16-7 down the stretch.
The Magic have been leaning heavily on their young stars throughout the series. Paolo Banchero has been exceptional, scoring at least 31 points in three of the four games, while Franz Wagner has contributed at least 23 points in each contest.
“It’s do-or-die,” Wagner said about facing elimination. “It’s a great opportunity for us. We are going to get on that plane and have the right mentality coming into Boston and make sure we get Game 5.”
The injury bug has hit both teams hard.
Boston will be without point guard Jrue Holiday, who’s sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Brown remains questionable with his knee issue.
Orlando’s backcourt took a major blow when Jalen Suggs was lost for the season with a knee injury. Center Moritz Wagner is also out for the year with an ACL tear.
If the Magic can somehow pull off the upset in Boston, they’d force a Game 6 back in Orlando on Thursday. The Magic have actually won three of four home games against the Celtics this season.
History isn’t on Orlando’s side, though. They’re 0-5 in their last five visits to TD Garden, while Boston boasts a perfect 6-0 record in their last six home games.
According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Celtics have a 76.2% chance of finishing the job Tuesday night and advancing to the second round.
