In a game that could have secured home-court advantage for the NBA Play-In Tournament, the Orlando Magic let a critical opportunity slip away. Facing a severely shorthanded Boston Celtics team—missing its top seven scorers—the Magic fell 113-108 at TD Garden on Sunday, a loss that now sends them on the road to face the Philadelphia 76ers in Wednesday’s 7-8 Play-In matchup.

The defeat left star forward Paolo Banchero visibly frustrated, despite his impressive 23-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist triple-double. “It was a must-win game, at least I thought,” Banchero said postgame. “I just think we didn’t come out with urgency. It’s frustrating, honestly.”

That lack of urgency has become a troubling theme for Orlando down the stretch. Just two weeks ago, after a franchise-record 52-point loss in Toronto, head coach Jamahl Mosley pointed to his team’s slow start. A week before that, he highlighted the same issue in a narrow loss to the Pacers. Even back in January, after a defeat to Memphis in London, Mosley stressed the need for better early-game intensity.

On Sunday, against a Celtics squad resting key players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Magic’s slow start proved costly once more. Boston, with only eight available players, saw four of them score career highs, exposing Orlando’s defensive lapses and inconsistent effort.

“I definitely didn’t play my best basketball,” Banchero admitted. “Collectively, we just have to have more urgency. We can’t expect to win just because guys are out.”

With the Play-In game in Philadelphia looming, the Magic must rediscover their intensity—and fast. A win against the 76ers would secure the No. 7 seed and a first-round playoff matchup with the New York Knicks, but another slow start could mean an early exit from postseason contention.