Shorthanded Magic produce 15-point comeback win against the Celtics

To say that Orlando came shorthanded to their matchup against Boston, would certainly be an understatement. The Magic are currently injury plagued, with the Wagner brother out for the rest of the season, and Paolo Banchero still recovering from pains he suffered right at the start of the 2024-25 campaign. 

Nevertheless, the Florida squad has made it more than clear that no matter who their rivals are and who is available to play, they continue to impress by keeping to their strategy and defending hard. That’s why they overcame a 25-point deficit to beat Miami this past weekend and then rallie back from a 15-point deficit on Monday to beat the Celtics.

“It’s who we are,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said after winning 108-104. “I’m not going to get tired of saying that, and I don’t want them to be surprised. You talk about the belief you have to have, the work ethic you have to have, the togetherness that we have – that’s this group. I don’t think there is any other way to put it. That’s what they’ve shown. That’s what they continue to prove and they believe it.”

MAGIC WIN! The injury-riddled Orlando Magic beat the reigning champion Boston Celtics, 108-104! 💪🪄

Tristan da Silva: 18 PTS, 6/11 FGM, 4/8 3PM, dagger three
Jaylen Brown: 35 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL, 15/29 FGM
Jayson Tatum: DNP (sickness)

Orlando fights EVERY GAME ‼️ pic.twitter.com/9syrv74TKV

— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) December 24, 2024

After another strong defensive display from Orlando, their opponents sunk only 8-of-33 attempts from beyond the arc, resulting in 24.2%. Not only was it that first time this season that Boston took lesser than 40 attempts, and only made fewer than 10.

The Florida squad rank 1st in this defensive area, with rivals averaging under 32 three-point attempts per game against them. The reigning champions had made at least 10 threes in 52-consecutive contests, and in 126 of their last 128.

One of the most impactful players in the Magic roster was two-way contract player Trevelin Queen, who not only guarded Jaylen Brown with success, but also matched his career-high with 17 points on 5-of-9 overall shooting and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

“I believed in myself that I belong,” he said, as rookie teammate Da Silva led the charge with 18 more to his name. “When the opportunity came, that was just a belief in myself. My teammates talking to me, giving me all the confidence I needed.”

The Orlando medical staff confirmed that Moritz Wagner suffered a season-ending knee injury this weekend against Miami

During this weekend’s Florida derby between Orlando and Miami, Moritz Wagner suffered an injury that might leave him out of action for the rest of the 2024-25 campaign. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the German international won’t recover from his knee pains this current season.

This clearly comes as a huge blow for the Magic organization, who have already lost Paolo Banchero for almost two months already, and Franz Wagner as well, both with torn obliques. The Orlando squad will now have to do without three of their four-best scorers.

Moritz, who was strategically coming off the bench as the squad’s sixth man, was averaging 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest. His season-ending ACL tear happened during the first half of the Magic’s 121-114 victory against the Heat on Saturday.

“We’re all praying for him. This one was for Mo,” teammate Goga Bitadze told the press after their win this weekend. “It’s really bad to see one of our brothers go down. Like we’ve been saying, ‘Next man up.’ But this guy deserved better than this.”