The Boston Celtics will face the Orlando Magic in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, starting this Sunday at TD Garden. The Magic secured the No. 7 seed after defeating the Atlanta Hawks in the Play-In Tournament. While the Celtics aim to defend their championship, the Magic's strong defensive record, leading the league in fewest points allowed per game, presents a formidable challenge. Historically, the Magic have had success against the Celtics, winning six of their last nine matchups, suggesting that this series may not be as straightforward as it seems for the defending champions.
Despite Boston's established track record as one of the best teams in the NBA, the Magic have been a matchup issue at times - with Orlando winning six of its last nine matchups against the Celtics over the last three seasons.
The Magic's bread and butter rests in their stingy defense, as they closed out the regular season leading the league by allowing just 105.5 points per game.
Orlando boasts the slowest pace in the league (96.51, just ahead of the Celtics), meaning that Jamahl Mosley's team is operating at its best when it's adhering to a plodding approach.
But the Magic present a unique challenge to the Celtics given their profile as an athletic, defensive-minded team that could be a thorn in the side of Boston's 3-point-heavy approach on offense.
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