What experts said about Magic’s ‘catastrophic’ loss to Celtics

A troublesome evening for the Magic: On Sunday, the Celtics scored an sudden 113-108 win towards the Magic regardless of resting quite a few gamers (Boston dressed solely eight towards Orlando).

With a playoff spot locked up, the Celtics may afford to provide starters a relaxation. The Magic, in the meantime, had been making an attempt to notch yet one more win to make sure home-court benefit within the upcoming play-in event. With actual stakes, Orlando featured a full roster for the sport.

It made what occurred that rather more perplexing from a Magic standpoint. Not solely did Boston backups outplay Magic starters — Baylor Scheierman scored 30 factors, certainly one of a number of Celtics to achieve career-highs — however the Orlando lineup puzzled analysts. Desmond Bane and Franz Wagner each performed properly below their common variety of minutes, although Paolo Banchero logged 38 minutes.

The defeat price Orlando home-court towards the 76ers within the play-in event.

It was a loss that drew criticism from inside and out of doors the group.

“Simply assume we had been relaxed,” Banchero told reporters of the Magic’s second-half efficiency. “No sense of urgency. I feel we simply allow them to again within the recreation they usually bought guys on the market that may play. They bought going and the gang bought going.”

“We will’t count on to win simply because guys are out and we are able to’t count on to win simply because we’ve got a lead at halftime,” he added. “You need to come out and end the sport. You need to come out and play arduous. You possibly can’t simply be relaxed in moments like this, and I feel guys had been means too relaxed and anticipating it to go our means. That’s not what occurred.”

It was a continuation of a theme for the Magic when it comes to consistency.

“I feel it’s the identical issues we’ve talked about all yr,” Bane said afterward. “We’ve bought to look inside first. There’s a lot extra this group has to provide. And we’ve bought to do it.”

The top-scratching efficiency (and technique) additionally drew the eye of Ringer founder and NBA commentator Invoice Simmons.

“It is a borderline catastrophic Orlando loss,” Simmons declared in a Sunday evening episode of his eponymously-named podcast. “I imply they really went backward within the standings.”

“Inexplicable,” Simmons famous. “This complete factor of simply not taking Recreation 82 critically sufficient as a result of the opposite group’s going to relaxation some guys. The league’s too good now. When guys play scrubs, they’re not scrubs anymore.”

NBA reporter Zach Lowe, Simmons’s podcast visitor, famous that if the Magic are actually unable to defeat the 76ers (with out Joel Embiid) within the play-in event, Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley’s “sizzling seat” job standing will “erupt into flames.”

“It was a horrific teaching job,” Simmons concluded.

The Magic now face the 76ers within the play-in event on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Philadelphia.

Scores and schedules:

The Celtics closed out the common season with an aforementioned 113-108 win over the Magic. Boston now awaits the play-in event to seek out out its first-round postseason opponent.

The Bruins defeated the Blue Jackets 3-2 on Sunday. Boston finishes the NHL common season on Tuesday towards the Devils at TD Backyard at 7 p.m.

The Purple Sox additionally bought a Sunday win, downing the Cardinals 9-3. Boston begins a three-game sequence in Minnesota towards the Twins this night at 7:40 p.m.

The Fleet will probably be again on the Tsongas Middle on Wednesday towards the Minnesota Frost at 7 p.m.

Extra from Boston.com:

A notable evening: With a protracted checklist of gamers getting the evening off, Sunday’s common season finale ended up being a launchpad for a number of career-high scoring totals.

A trio of Celtics had profession scoring nights 🔥

Baylor Scheierman: 30 PTS (career-high)
Luka Garza: 27 PTS (career-high)
Ron Harper Jr.: 27 PTS (career-high) pic.twitter.com/qhDa45AkPy

— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2026

Jaylen Brown speaks for Celtics followers: The Celtics star bought to be fan on Sunday as his teammates pulled off the win.

I like this group ☘️

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) April 13, 2026

On today: In 1957, the Celtics — led by 37 factors from Tommy Heinsohn, 32 rebounds from Invoice Russell, and 11 assists from Bob Cousy — defeated the St. Louis Hawks 125-123 in double-overtime to win the group’s first NBA championship in Recreation 7 of the finals.

Every day spotlight: Driss El Jabali of of Moroccan facet MAS Fes scored some of the unimaginable targets of the season on Sunday in a 1-0 win over Wydad AC. Replays are value watching.

La Botola est simplement le meilleur championnat en Afrique 🇲🇦🔥

Des buts magnifiques ⚽
Des joueurs bourrés de expertise ⭐
Des stades incroyables 🏟️
Une réalisation au high 🎥
Et les meilleurs supporters du continent 👏

Voilà pourquoi la Botola domine 💯 pic.twitter.com/xgXxvAoKtS

— KoraMaroc (@AtKoraMaroc) April 12, 2026