The NBA schedule-makers did the Orlando Magic no favors, pairing the young team (on the second night of a back-to-back) with the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics to open their 2022-23 home schedule.
In front of a sellout crowd Saturday night (19,299 announced, fifth-largest crowd ever at the Amway Center), Orlando gave the title contenders all they could handle, before eventually falling to Boston late - 126-120.
Jayson Tatum and Derrick White combined to score eight of Boston’s final ten points in the game (within the last two minutes) to help push the Celtics past the Magic.