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Celtics vs Magic Recap: Final Score & Pick Result (Nov 1, 2026)
By SportsHub Model · Edited by Kyle Parker
Final · · Recap updated
Final: November 1, 2026 | Recap updated: November 1, 2026, 9:50 PM ET
The Boston Celtics beat the Orlando Magic 108-97 at Kia Center on Sunday for their fifth straight win. Jayson Tatum scored 32, 15 of them at the free-throw line, and Paul George's 3-pointer with 1:32 left put Boston up 11 after Orlando had tied it at 79 early in the fourth. Our model favored the Celtics (68%, no edge); they won. Boston is 5-1; Orlando fell to 2-4.
Celtics vs Magic Final Score
| Team | 1H | 2H | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 55 | 53 | 108 |
| Orlando Magic | 50 | 47 | 97 |
Tip-off was 3:30 PM ET, in front of 18,236.
How It Happened
- Tatum's scare. Late in the first quarter, the back of Tatum's head hit Jamal Cain's forehead. He went to the locker room bleeding and returned with 6:13 left in the half. Boston led 24-23 after one and 55-50 at the break.
- Boston's burst, Orlando's answer. The Celtics shut Orlando out over the first four minutes of the third quarter to build a 15-point lead. The Magic came back with a 12-0 run, fueled by three of Tristan da Silva's five 3-pointers, and trailed only 77-74 after three.
- The decisive swing: Anthony Black stole George's outlet pass and finished a three-point play to tie it at 79. On the next trip, Franz Wagner missed a layup that would have given Orlando the lead. Boston took over from there, winning the fourth 31-23. George scored 10 in the quarter, his 3 with 1:32 left made it an 11-point game, and Neemias Queta blocked two shots in the final two minutes.
Tatum made 15 of 17 free throws; Orlando attempted 19 as a team. Boston shot just 12 of 44 from three (27%) to Orlando's 14 of 39, and won anyway by forcing 18 turnovers while committing 13. Wagner had 14 points on 5-of-20 shooting with a career-high 12 assists. Queta started in place of Mitchell Robinson, who sat for rest, and Luka Garza (12) and Baylor Scheierman (10) gave Boston's bench two double-digit scorers.
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Line |
|---|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum | Celtics | 32 pts (8-19 FG, 15-17 FT), 7 ast, 4 reb |
| Paul George | Celtics | 17 pts, 8 ast, 6 reb, 2 stl |
| Anthony Black | Magic | 23 pts (10-11 FT), 8 reb, 3 ast |
| Tristan da Silva | Magic | 23 pts (5-8 3PT), 10 reb |
| Franz Wagner | Magic | 14 pts, 12 ast, 6 reb |
Model Check
There was no pick to grade. Our model gave Boston 68%, in line with the roughly 68.5% the moneyline implied, so the preview called no edge. The Celtics, the model's favorite, won by 11.
How the preview's reasons held up:
- Scoring margin (Boston +9.2 a game, Orlando -8.6): held. Boston won by 11.
- Turnovers (Orlando 17.0 a game, Boston 15.8): held. Orlando gave it away 18 times to Boston's 13.
- Rebounding (Boston 43.6 a game, Orlando 39.4): didn't hold. With Robinson out, Orlando won the boards 43-41, just as the preview warned it might.
- Orlando needing the three-point battle: half right. The Magic won it, 14 threes to 12, and still lost, because Boston took 26 free throws to their 19.
Betting Results
- Moneyline: Boston won; the preview had the Celtics between -244 and -263.
- Spread: Boston -6.5 covered with an 11-point win.
- Total: 205 points, under the 220.5 to 223.5 range in the preview.
SportsHub Handicappers: Oct 25–31
The NBA leaders over the week before the game:
| Handicapper | Record | Net ($) | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coach Rick | 8-2 | +$590 | 54.2% |
| James Anderson | 3-0 | +$300 | 90.4% |
| Kyle Buchman | 3-0 | +$300 | 88.5% |
See every record on the SportsHub handicappers leaderboard.
What's Next
- Boston (5-1): at the Houston Rockets on Monday, Nov. 2, at 8:30 PM ET, the second night of a back-to-back, then home against Milwaukee on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 PM ET.
- Orlando (2-4): hosts the Washington Wizards on Monday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 PM ET, then visits Phoenix on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 9:00 PM ET. Paolo Banchero (high ankle sprain) and Jalen Suggs (knee) missed this one.
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