After taking an ugly loss to the Heat where they got beat by 16 points, the Boston Celtics continue their trek through Florida when they take on the Orlando Magic. The Celtics may be one of the top teams in the East but have dropped 11 of 21 road games this season and lost at home in October to this Magic squad. Orlando, on the other hand, is riding a four-game losing streak and is 6-12 SU in 18 games since the start of December.
The Celtics opened as 5.5-point favorites (since moved to -7) with a total of 213.5.
- The Celtics are 1-4 SU and ATS in their last five road games.
- The Magic are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games vs teams with winning records.
- The total has gone OVER in nine of the Celtics’ last 11 games (Average combined score: 223.8).
Celtics’ Road Woes Frustrating Bettors
Count me among the suckers who thought the Celtics would roll the Heat on Thursday. The Celtics were on the second game of a back-to-back and proceeded to get thrashed by a team with not nearly the amount of talent they have. This has been the book on Boston since the start of the season as the C’s look like they can beat any team in the league when everyone is focused but will put up clunkers against chumpy teams, especially on the road.
This has led to the Celtics dropping four of their last five road games and to be fair, those four games were against teams with winning records. That number shifts greatly when they play teams with losing records on the road with a 21-7 SU mark in their last 28 games dating back to last season.
After muttering some curse words, I’ve decided to get back on the Celtics bandwagon and will be backing them to cover the spread. Prior to that game against the Heat, the Celtics had won four straight games by an average of 20.5 points per game and Boston has the second-best point differential in the NBA (+6.5).
No Hocus Pocus Can Get Me To Wager On the Magic
At 17-24 SU in 41 games, it’s safe to say it’s the same old, same old for Orlando. The Magic are 27th in points scored per game (103), 25th in point differential and in their last four losses, failed to top 100 points and lost each game by double-digits.
The lone bright spot on a roster barren with talent is Nikola Vucevic. The seventh-year center is averaging just under 20 points per game and 12 rebounds. Outside of Aaron Gordon, Vucevic is the only reason why the Magic aren’t in the basement with the likes of Phoenix and Chicago in the NBA standings.
I’m fading the Magic any chance I get and at this spread, I have no problem betting against them especially since they’re 1-7 SU in their last eight games vs teams with winning records and their overall inability to score.
Totals Bettors Should Eye the OVER
The total opened at 213.5 and when the Celtics take the court, the OVER tends to follow. The OVER has hit in nine of the Celtics’ last 11 games with an average combined score of 223.8 points per game. When you factor in that the OVER has hit in four of the Magic’s last five games at home (average combined score: 217.2), I think this game will go over the total.
My Pick Is…
To ride with the Celtics. I think they’ll come out firing after laying such a dud against Miami and have only lost consecutive road games since the beginning of November. With the fact that the Magic upset the Celtics in their first matchup at TD Garden back in October, I look for the vengeance factor too.
