The Orlando Magic lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-105 on Saturday at the Kia Center. With the defeat, the Magic have lost three straight games for the first time since their four-game losing streak at the beginning of the season.
“Offensively, I thought we had a great process of getting open looks,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We’ve got to step in and knock them down. That’s a big portion of it. You can get the shots, you gotta step into them with confidence and knock those shots down. Defensively, Donovan Mitchell got going a little bit. You know, guys hit some timely shots when we’re going on a run. I think that’s what you got to give them credit for how they came out.”
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 27 points and led the team with three 3-point makes, while Donovan Mitchell led the game with 36 points on 30 shots. In his last 10 games, Banchero is averaging 23 points and is shooting 38.6% from three.
Despite holding opponents to the lowest attempts and third-lowest made threes in the NBA, Orlando has faltered in their last five matchups. Teams have shot and made more threes than league average during the stretch, with Orlando having a losing record in those contests.
“I really think we’ve got to do a better job containing the ball,” Mosley said. “I thought we were good and decent in our pick and roll defense, getting hits on guys rolling to the rim. But again, getting out to those shooters on time, making sure we’re closing out the right way. Again, they hit some tough ones, and we missed a lot of easy ones.”
Game flow
First quarter
In his return from an eight game absence, Jalen Suggs scored the first points of the night with a three-point make. Without Suggs in the lineup, the Magic have gone 9-11.
“It felt great playing basketball again,” Suggs said. “It felt great to make plays,hear the crowd, just doing it in real time and having that experience again.”
After Suggs’ make, though, the Cavaliers went on a 15-4 run, including three 3-pointers. The Magic would answer with a 5-0 run of their own, with Anthony Black making a three and assisting on a Jase Richardson layup.
The teams would trade baskets to end the first quarter, with Orlando being down 25-23 after 12 minutes. Orlando’s final lead of the game came off a Moritz Wagner basket at the 1:36 mark in the quarter. In their last five games, the Magic have lost every first quarter.
“[Moe Wagner has been a] huge addition,” Desmond Bane said. “The things that he does for us on the court are huge. He can make plays for others, he can score for himself, unselfish about the right things. He’s definitely a great piece.”
Second quarter
Cleveland would start the second quarter hot, with Nae’Qwan Tomlin going on a 6-0 run by himself with two threes. Orlando then went on a 9-0 run to tie the game at 31. The teams exchanged free throws and baskets for the next two minutes, as the score remained tied at 38.
During the final six minutes of the half, the Cavaliers outscored the Magic 17-10. The Magic went into halftime trailing by seven after shooting 32% from the field and 10% from three.
Third quarter
In the opening four minutes of the second half, the Cavaliers built their lead to double digits for the first time in the contest after the Magic turned the ball over three times. Orlando shrunk the lead down to six with three minutes remaining in the quarter, but Cleveland responded with an 11-5 run to close the third.
Fourth quarter
Much like the start of the last two quarters, the Cavaliers opened the fourth quarter with a run. Cleveland’s 15-9 run put Orlando down by 18 points with only eight minutes remaining.
Banchero tried to will the Magic to a comeback, as the forward would score 15 points in the fourth. However, Mitchell’s 17 points in the frame proved too much for Orlando to overcome.
“Oh man, [Mitchell] was great,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I thought he was great defensively, right? At both ends, right? He didn’t conserve himself on defense and made others better. And obviously the shot making was insane. It was a nice variety, variety of paint and his threes.”
Next up
The Magic will head to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers for their second game in three days. Orlando has lost its last three games on the road and holds a 9-11 record on the road this season.
“I think it starts with just keeping the ball square,” Bane said about Mitchell ahead of the rematch. “A couple of times, he rejected the screen. You know, give him credit. He’s a hell of a player. You know, l thought [Anthony Black] did a great job for most of the night. Really frustrated him and made it tough on him. Like you said, in that fourth quarter, he kind of got loose but, you know, like we said, he’s a great player and we’ll have to bring the same level of physicality that we did in the first half to him for a full 48 for him.”
Tip-off against the Cavaliers is set for 7:00 p.m. on Jan. 26.