Magic Struggle in Postseason Debut
The young Magic, despite achieving their best record since the post-Beast Era, faced significant challenges upon entering the intense battleground of the playoffs due to their lack of experience.
Uphill Battle in the First Two Games
In their initial encounter, the Magic managed only 83 points, followed by a slight improvement to 86 points in the second game, yet they still failed to disrupt the Cavaliers’ dominance.
Cavaliers’ Dominance and Mitchell’s Impact
The Cavaliers surged ahead in the fourth quarter, leading by as much as 22 points. Despite the Magic closing the gap to single digits, Donovan Mitchell’s consecutive baskets stabilized the Cavaliers, resulting in a 96-86 victory and a 2-0 series lead.
Historical Advantage of the Cavaliers
For the Magic, this scenario proved to be the most disadvantageous. Historically, when the Cavaliers secure a 2-0 series lead, they have never been eliminated, boasting a perfect record of 15 wins in such situations.
Mitchell’s Explosive Start and Cavaliers’ Control
Mitchell’s explosive performance in the first quarter, amassing 14 points, set the tone for the game as the Cavaliers surged to a 12-point lead. Additionally, the Magic have not held a lead against the Cavaliers for a total of 96 minutes, including their previous encounter.
Stellar Performances from Mitchell and Mobley
Mitchell contributed 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Evan Mobley added 17 points and 7 rebounds, and Darius Garland chipped in with 15 points.
Allen’s Dominance in the Paint
Jarrett Allen continued his dominance in the paint, recording an impressive stat line of 16 points, 20 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals. His performance marked the first instance since LeBron James in the 2016 NBA Finals of a Cavaliers player achieving at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in a postseason game.
Magic’s Struggles and Coach Mosley’s Encouragement
Despite Paolo Banchero’s 21 points, Franz Wagner’s 18 points, and Jalen Suggs’ return from injury with 9 points, the Magic struggled against the Cavaliers’ defense. Their three-point shooting woes persisted, with only 26.2% accuracy over two games. Coach Jamahl Mosley urged his team to maintain confidence and continue shooting, even amidst consecutive misses.(7xm)