Why Paolo Banchero adores Jayson Tatum, Celtics matchups
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The Orlando Magic (23-19) will close out their two-game road trip with a high-stakes matchup against the Boston Celtics (28-12) on Friday night at TD Garden. The nationally televised game on ESPN brings together two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams, with the Magic currently holding the fifth seed and the Celtics sitting in second place. Ahead of the contest, Orlando's All-Star forward Paolo Banchero shared his thoughts on the challenge Boston presents.
In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Banchero praised the Celtics for their consistency and depth.
"You always get up to play the Celtics," Banchero said. "They've been the best team in the East since I've been in NBA. Pretty much all three years they've been the [East's] 1-seed. So, you always are up to play the Celtics. A loaded team. Obviously, they got Jaylen [Brown] and Jayson [Tatum] leading the charge. But then you also got a bunch of great players, whether it's Jrue [Holiday], Derrick White, [Kristaps] Porzingis, Payton Pritchard, a Northwest guy off the bench."
Paolo Banchero highlights TD Garden atmosphere ahead of Celtics matchup.
The Magic enter this meeting with confidence after defeating the Celtics 108-104 in their first game of the season series. Orlando earned that victory despite being shorthanded, as both Banchero and Franz Wagner were sidelined due to injuries. Wagner, who suffered a torn right oblique earlier in the season, has yet to return, making the win a testament to the Magic's depth and resilience against one of the league's most dominant teams.
Since returning from his own torn right oblique that sidelined him for 34 games, Banchero has been in stellar form. Over the last three games, he has averaged 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and one block per game while shooting 49% from the field and 47.1% from three-point range. His ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor has been pivotal for Orlando.
Banchero also spoke about the electric atmosphere at TD Garden, one of his favorite arenas to play in.
"And so, that's a great challenge. And also playing in TD Garden is one of my favorite places to play," Banchero said. "The fans there are always engaged and really loud. And we've had some close games there, too, where it's been a pretty fun environment. So, I just look forward to going back to Boston, playing there and battling it out and hopefully getting a win."
Magic-Celtics matchup offers potential playoff preview
This game could offer a preview of a potential playoff matchup between the two teams. The Magic came close to facing the Celtics in last year's Eastern Conference Semifinals but were eliminated in a seven-game battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. Meanwhile, the Celtics went on to win the Eastern Conference and capture the NBA championship.
In his career, Paolo Banchero has performed well against Boston, boasting a 4-3 record in seven games. He has averaged 24.3 points, six rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 43.4% from the field and 46.7% from three-point range in those matchups. His consistency underscores his ability to rise to the occasion against one of the league's premier teams.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET at TD Garden. The Magic will look to secure another win against Boston while continuing to assert themselves as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
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