Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics (8:30 pm ET, ESPN)
Orlando Magic will try to square the series against Boston Celtics (8:30 pm ET, ESPN) in Game 6, on Friday at TD Garden, Boston, MA. The Magic has 59-23 home, 25-16 away record whereas the Celtics have 50-32 away, 24-17 home.
Kendrick Perkins’ technical foul got him a suspension. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night, Boston lost to Orlando113-92. On Thursday, the league rescinded, clearing Perkins to play in Game 6. Boston will try to eliminate the Magic and advance to the NBA finals.
To slow down Howard, the Celtics will still be short-handed even with Perkins. Howard has been in good form, averaging 26 points and 13 rebounds in the last two games. This helped Magic avoid elimination a couple of times in the series. He needs to do it once again on Friday.
To avoid a trip back to Orlando for a seventh game, the Celtics need a victory Friday night. If things turn around and Magic wins, then it will be the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven playoff series.
“I didn’t like being in a 3-0 hole, but it’s still doable. I don’t think we’ve had a lack of belief; we can’t go back and get those first three….I don’t know why we didn’t get at it; I don’t know why we didn’t play with the same type of energy in the first three games. I really do not know”, said Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy.
To a one-point flagrant foul, the league upgraded a foul called on Pierce. Pierce would also face an automatic one-game suspension, if he amasses four flagrant foul points.
Oddsmakers from various NBA betting websites have made the Celtics -3 point spread favorites for Friday’s game against the Magic. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 58% of more than 3,767 bets for this game have been placed on the Celtics -3.
