Celtics vs Magic odds - battle for second in the East
Celtics vs Magic odds should help basketball fans get their fix until March Madness betting resumes on Thursday. There are a whopping 11 games scheduled in the NBA on Wednesday, but the Boston-Orlando tilt definitely takes the top spot. Boston and Orlando are in a heated battle for second-place in the Eastern Conference, with the Celts leading by just a game. This contest should go a long way to determining who finishes second.
Celtics vs Magic odds – Wednesday, March 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET
- Magic making late-season push for second
- Howard deserves some MVP recognition
- Celtics finally getting healthy again
The Magic (52-18) are putting together a great late-season push, meaning they have a serious shot at finishing ahead of Boston in the East, something nobody would have predicted on sports betting lines for the NBA a few months ago. Orlando has won 10 of its last 12 games, including three straight. One of the wins during that streak came against the Celtics, in Boston no less, when Orlando won 86-79. Of course, the Celtics were playing without Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo at the time, which makes a big difference.
Dwight Howard is having an excellent campaign for Orlando, and some observers are questioning why his name isn’t being mentioned in MVP talks. At 21.0 points, 13.9 points and 3.0 blocks per game this season, it’s a valid argument.
Boston (54-18) is just now recovering from a bad spate of injuries. Garnett—among many others—missed plenty of time, and it sent the Celtics into a brutal funk in which they went just 7-6. Finally, the lineup is getting healthy again, and it’s no surprise the Celtics have won four straight games. Garnett is still easing himself back into action, though, and has yet to play more than 18 minutes in his three games back. They need him at 100 percent to really be a force on Celtics vs Magic odds.
In the meantime, Rondo has been very valuable. He was a key cog during the recent four-game winning streak at both ends of the court, posting 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.25 steals per game in that stretch. He’s been an underrated performer that not enough NBA betting fans are noticing this season.
Boston is 2-1 this season against Orlando, with the lone loss coming during that injury ravaged stretch. The Celtics will Garnett to keep Howard in check, as “Superman” dropped 18 points and 15 boards in the last matchup. Howard was fairly quiet in the first two losses, averaging just 12.5 points between them.
CRAIG’S PICK: The Celtics have their swagger back. Peaking at just the right time, Boston’s biggest concern with Orlando on Wednesday will be whether or not Garnett can field enough minutes to keep Howard occupied. If he can—and I think he’ll rise to the challenge—then you better bet on the Celtics.
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Craig Parsons is an avid sports fan, but his true love has always been basketball. Too short to realize his dream of playing in the NBA, he did the next best thing: sports betting and covering basketball for a living. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
