The Boston Celtics are confused by the depleted Magic and lose on the road 108-104

The Boston Celtics followed up their revenge win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday (December 21st) at the United Center with another road game against the Orlando Magic on Monday evening (December 23rd). After the Magic lost several of their key players in Moritz and Franz Wagner as well as forward Paolo Banchero, the potential for a trap game for Boston was obvious.

The Celtics began the contest by exploiting every one of the weakened Orlando team’s many weaknesses on the court, jumping out to an early 14-point lead. The Magic cut Boston’s lead to single digits early in the third quarter, around the same time that the Celtics’ star forward Jayson Tatum was ruled out for the game due to a non-COVID illness.

Orlando briefly took the lead near the end of the penultimate frame and took a multiple possession lead early in the fourth frame, which they were able to hold and extend when chaos broke out between Kristaps Porzingis, Jalen Suggs and Goga Bitadze late in the quarter with the ejection of the great man from Orlando.

Add in a losing Coaches Challenge for Boston and a late Dagger 3 as regulation was winding down, and the Celtics simply didn’t have the time to create a playoff they should have seen from a mile away: Boston lost with 108:104.

The Celtics next face the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden this Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25th. Let’s take a look at the best plays from today’s game as we wait for the Celtics’ next game.