The Cleveland Cavaliers held the Orlando Magic to a frigid 32% taking pictures from the sector and 21% from three in a dominant Recreation 1 victory. Donovan Mitchell (30 factors and three steals) led a balanced Cleveland squad desiring to exorcise his private demons from previous playoff runs. Evan Mobley (16 factors, 11 rebounds, and three blocks) and Jarrett Allen (16 factors, 18 rebounds, and a couple of steals) supplied the inside presence and help
Paolo Banchero (24 factors, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) was the lone star this afternoon from the fledgling Magic. Franz Wagner (18 factors and seven rebounds) and brother Moe Wagner (10 factors and 5 rebounds), together with Jalen Suggs (13 factors and 4 assists) chipped in throughout the loss.
Cleveland got here out of the gates blazing scorching from behind the arc – garnering a 15-0 benefit on threes within the first handful of minutes. Banchero and Franz Wagner steadied Orlando, however they nonetheless really feel behind by 11. Each groups discovered some scoring stability of their lineups later within the stanza, however Mitchell and Mobley stood out tallest with their contributions. The Magic’s capacity to get to the free throw line saved them within the recreation, however left the body down seven.
All of the scoring theatrics within the first quarter disappeared for a lot of the second. The Cleveland bigs, Mobley and Allen, took benefit of mismatches with the smaller Magic frontline to get into double digits. Outdoors of Banchero, Orlando had bother matching their counterparts with constant offense. After a way more muted second interval, the Cavaliers went into the half up 53-41.
Regardless of an prolonged scoring drought to begin the second half for Cleveland, they had been capable of preserve most of their benefit. Jalen Suggs discovered his scoring contact, however the Magic had been unable to get nearer than two possession for. a lot of the body. Mitchell asserted himself extra, as Cleveland’s motion died down on offense. Regardless of lacking their subsequent 15 three level makes an attempt after connecting on their first 5, a extra ragged third interval ended with the Cavaliers up 15.
Observations
The commentators’ microphones reduce out from the onset, and it was pleasing to observe the motion for 2 minutes with simply the ambient noise NBA2k-style.
I used to be simply pondering to myself how Magic guard Suggs’ mannerisms resemble Danny Inexperienced’s (even right down to the jersey quantity #4)… after which he threw a move proper to a Cavs defender.
Throughout his free throw try within the first half, a random fan yelled at Allen, “Your headband isn’t hiding something!” and Allen cracked a smile..
Cleveland appears to have the market cornered on burly wingmen – Georges Niang and Max Strus. Matt Harpring and Metta World Peace could be proud.
This sequence has the sensation of 1 the place the deciding recreation 6 or 7 is likely to be a 79-77 affair.
Strus and Mitchell began the scoring for Cleveland with open threes. Then, Garland added a jumper, and Mobley even linked on two threes of his personal to place the Cavaliers up 11. Banchero and Wagner (Franz) had been the one Orlando gamers to reply on the different finish. Oft-injured heart Jonathan Isaac netted a handful of factors to assist the Magic reduce into the deficit. After Garland went to the bench with two fouls, the Cavaliers ratcheted up their perimeter protection and had been capable of push the lead as much as a dozen. Cleveland left the entertaining interval up 33-26.
The high-scoring first quarter devolved right into a rock-fight within the second. A blocking foul on Niang was overturned upon overview, and the groups failed to attain throughout the first two minutes. Wagner and Isaac Okoro obtained chippy with one another after a free ball foul was known as on Mobley. Orlando made it briefly a two possession recreation, however Mobley confirmed off an improved post-game in scoring three buckets. Niang and Markelle Fultz then obtained into it after a tough foul by the Magic guard. After placing up a mixed 59 factors within the first, the combatants mixed for under 14 in six minutes. A pair of Allen dunks energized the house crowd, and Cleveland went into the half up a dozen.
The physicality appeared to have an effect on Cleveland to begin the third quarter, and Suggs took benefit with six fast factors. The hurried tempo yielded a viewing expertise that seemed like a youth soccer match with the Cavaliers scoring two factors in six minutes. An Allen dunk mercifully ended the scoring drought, however Banchero’s three level play reduce the deficit to 4. A clumsy floater by Niang pushed Cleveland again up ten. As Orlando’s offense dried up, Caris LeVert transformed an acrobatic and-1 to place the Cavaliers up 73-58 after three.
Fast scores by Okoro and Garland to begin the fourth put Orlando in an nearly insurmountable gap. The Wagner brothers staged a 11-0 Magic run by themselves to slice the lead in half. Cleveland wanted buckets from a number of contributors to stave off the Orlando push, with a Mitchelle three placing Orlando again down 14. A tough bankshot by Suggs was answered by a clutch scoring from Mitchell and Garland, and the Cavaliers ended the Magic comeback bid.
Orlando takes on Cleveland in Recreation 2 of this playoff sequence Monday night time at 6:00 PM CDT.
