Magic reverse roles on visiting Celtics for 123-110 victory

Franz Wagner scored 27 points and was one of seven Orlando Magic players finishing in double digits, while the Boston Celtics struggled to keep up late in the game. Orlando secured a 123-110 win at home in their NBA Cup showdown.

Rematch with reversed dynamics

Last spring, Boston and Orlando clashed in a tough first-round playoff series, where the Celtics often remarked on the Magic’s physicality and the difficulties it caused. Though Boston won that series in five games, the battles seemed to take a toll—the Celtics soon fell to the Knicks in the next round.

Since then, both squads have evolved. Orlando brought in Desmond Bane to strengthen its offense, while Boston now takes on the rugged, underdog role once associated with the Magic.

Game highlights

Boston erased an early 16-point deficit to briefly regain the lead in the fourth quarter.
The Magic found their rhythm with sharp shooting, hitting a season-best 17 of 36 three-pointers.
Orlando sealed the game with a 39-point final quarter.

Player performances

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 32 points and 9 rebounds.
Payton Pritchard contributed 27 points for Boston.
Franz Wagner matched that total with 27 points for Orlando.

“I didn’t feel like we got out-physicaled,” said Payton Pritchard.

Summary

Orlando’s hot shooting night proved decisive as Boston’s late-game energy faded, flipping the script from last spring’s playoff narrative.

Author’s summary: Orlando outshot a fatigued Boston team to claim a confident 123-110 victory, highlighting their offensive improvement and Boston’s struggle to finish strong.

The Boston Globe — 2025-11-08