Paolo Banchero Reveals Major Reason Celtics Shouldn't Underestimate Magic

The reigning champion Boston Celtics begin their title defense against the Orlando Magic on Saturday night at home.

Per Brett James of Orlando Magic HQ, All-Star Magic power forward Paolo Banchero intends to put his friendship with All-NBA Celtics power forward Jayson Tatum aside for their impending matchup.

"I've known Jayson since I went to college," Banchero said. "I see him every summer, so a guy I'm very familiar with. One of the guys that I go to for advice and stuff like that. "

Banchero, like Tatum, was a five-star prospect who turned heads under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke University, five years after Tatum's tenure. Tatum was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, while Banchero went first in 2022.

"But, obviously, now we're competing," Banchero added. "The best way for me to show my respect is to give him my best effort and go at him as much as I can."

Banchero has been keeping a running "as-told-to" diary with Marc J. Spears of Andscape for most of the season. He expressed optimism about Orlando's prospects heading into the playoffs against Boston.

"We just have to come out fearless from the jump," Banchero told Spears. "Going on the road, the first two games, we have to set the tone of how we’re going to play for the rest of series. It’s just going to be a full-team effort."

By the benefit of winning 61 games and nabbing the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics will have homecourt advantage in this series.

If this matchup does extend to seven games (which feels unlikely, given Orlando's offensive limitations), Game 7 will be played in TD Garden.

"They’re in the Eastern Conference finals damn near every year," Banchero told Spears of Boston. "We’ve had success against them in the regular season and throughout my time here, but playoffs is a different ballgame."

The Magic did win their season series with the Celtics, 2-1, but Boston had already locked up the No. 2 seed by the time they reached the third game in that matchup, a 96-76 blowout on April 9. Boston sat all six of its best players (the starters plus 38-year-old backup big man Al Horford).

"They’re going to be ready," Banchero added. 'They are part of a championship team so they are not going to lay down. You have to match their level of intensity. You know the challenge they present. They got talent all over the floor. So, it’s going to take a special effort from us to beat them."

Banchero himself is something of a cheat code. And his fellow forward Franz Wagner has All-Star upside. But they lack the Celtics' depth and offense.

In his 46 healthy bouts this season, the 22-year-old former Duke Blue Devil, selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, is averaging 25.9 points on .452/.320/.727 shooting splits, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists a night.