CLEVELAND, OH – The Orlando Magic fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-94, concluding their electric season. With the win, Cleveland secured the series 4 games to 3 and advanced to the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
The home team won all seven games, and the Cavs, fueled by another Herculean performance from Donovan Mitchell, overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to clinch the series finale 106-94 and move on to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they will face the top-seeded Boston Celtics.
Mitchell, a five-time NBA All-Star, was only 3-of-13 from the field before halftime. However, like the flip of a switch, he transformed into “Spida,” a nickname given for his Spider-Man-like attributes by a former teammate’s father.
The 6-foot-1 guard scored 39 points, 17 of which came in the pivotal third quarter, when the Cavs outscored the Magic by 18.
The third quarter proved decisive as Orlando was outscored 33-15, and Mitchell found his rhythm.
Mitchell finished the night with 39 points, dominating in the third and fourth quarters as Orlando’s shooting well ran dry, once again exposing the team’s biggest weakness.
As the Cavs prepare to face the Celtics, Orlando has time to reflect on the season.
So many challenges overcome, so many lessons learned.
This team can no longer say they lack playoff experience, having rallied from a 0-2 deficit to tie the series and pushing it to a game seven. They fell just a half-game short.
Despite what “experts” predicted, this team, expected only to be a play-in contender, climbed to third place in the Eastern Conference and secured fifth in the standings.
Overall, this season was a victory — in the record books, against expectations, and in the valuable experience gained by this young team throughout their season-long journey.
“We accomplished a lot in that we did a great job of handling the highs and lows of the season,” said Coach Mosley. “Our focus was both defensive and as our calling card. I thought it was great. Our young guys learned how to win in this league, which we’ve discussed since the beginning of the year.”
Paolo Banchero has risen to NBA star status, and Jalen Suggs has found his rhythm. With the solid play from Franz Wagner, this team is just getting started.
