Stay tuned here for live commentary on Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic contest, which will be televised on CSNN in the Boston area and FSN Florida in central Florida. It begins at 7 p.m. ET and can be watched around the country on NBA League Pass.
The Orlando Magic are used to these types of late season games being tuneups for the playoffs. It will serve as just that for the visiting Boston Celtics, but Magic GM Rob Hennigan and Magic faithful realize the rebuilding process the team is just beginning can be slow and arduous.
The Boston Celtics more or less circumvented such an organic process when Danny Ainge constructed the 2008 Champion Celtics squad. Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were trade heists, and the slower process of building through the draft never had to happen.
The C's did obtain Rajon Rondo via the draft, but their leader Paul Pierce was the only holdover from the pre-championship era squads.
With Rondo sidelined, the Celtics have played well, but it's difficult to imagine the Rondo-less Celtics being able to keep pace with the New York Knicks or Indiana Pacers for a seven-game series. Doc Rivers' team needs its playmaker to perform at its highest level.
While Avery Bradley and Courtney Lee have been an effective backcourt, the playoffs are a time when the Celtics would prefer to have the NBA's league leading assist man on the court and playing.
The Magic will continue to look at the development of their young prospects Nikola Vucevic, Maurice Harkless and Tobias Harris. At this point, seeing the potential of the frontcourt is about all the silver lining Magic fans can find. But make no mistake, a Harris/Vucevic combo yields a high ROI for the Magic in seasons to come.
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