Shorthanded Celtics Stun Magic, Throw Eastern Conference Playoffs Into Disarray
Boston's shocking win over Orlando had a massive impact on the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Shorthanded Celtics Stun Magic, Throw Eastern Conference Playoffs Into Disarray originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The final game of the 2025-26 NBA regular season was technically meaningless for the Boston Celtics , but they still played to win.
And they did, upsetting the Orlando Magic 113-108 at TD Garden on Sunday and throwing the Eastern Conference playoffs into disarray. After clinching the two seed with their historic win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, the Celtics rested their starters on Sunday. Accordingly, they entered their season finale as massive home underdogs against the fully healthy Magic, who needed a win to have a shot at the six seed.
The first half of the game went as expected, with Orlando taking a nine-point lead into halftime. With nothing to play for and the cheapest active roster of any NBA team this season, Boston easily could have packed it in. Instead, the Celtics mounted a shocking comeback, erupting for 42 points in the third quarter and holding off a late rally by the Magic to win the game.
Unbelievable Celtics win and an even worse Magic loss. Joe Mazzulla incapable of tanking ever under any circumstances. 5-6-7-8 seeds just got thrown into a blender!