Orlando, FL – In a do-or-die Game 7 showdown, Orlando faced the Cavaliers in their home in what would be the end of the Magic’s playoff run. With the series deadlocked at 3-3, both teams knew that this game was the season’s determiner and they came out playing with an edge. The tension and stakes were high, and in the end, Orlando’s inexperience was a glaring issue and resulted in a 106-94 loss and a first-round exit for the Magic to wrap their season up.
The first half of the game showcased a tale of two teams, with the Magic coming out of the gates firing on all cylinders while the Cavaliers struggled to find their footing. Orlando’s offense was electric in the early stages, with the team connecting on three-pointers with remarkable accuracy. Led by Paolo Banchero’s elite three-level scoring and aggressive play in drawing fouls, the Magic surged ahead and began to build a substantial lead that left the Cavaliers frustrated. It seemed like every trip down the floor for the Cavaliers their offense was stale and Orlando had the perfect defensive counter for their every play. Cleveland struggled to find the net in the first quarter and their nerves led to five early turnovers and zero made threes. Mitchell was shaping up to have a stinker this game with just 2-9 shooting. As the first half progressed, the Cavaliers began to chip away at Orlando’s lead, slowly but steadily finding their rhythm on both ends of the court. A late surge by the Cavaliers in the final two minutes of the half cut the deficit all the way from 18 points to just 10 points, signaling a shift in momentum as the teams headed into halftime.
The second half of the game proved to be a different story altogether, with the Cavaliers seizing control and dominating the proceedings. Led by the playoff experience of Donovan Mitchell, who was able to finally turn his game around, Cleveland mounted a relentless offensive onslaught that left the Magic struggling to keep pace. Orlando’s inexperience became increasingly apparent as they faltered under the pressure, with turnovers and repeatedly missed shots making it impossible to get a grip on the game.
Despite a valiant effort by Banchero, who finished the game with an impressive 38 points, the Magic ultimately fell short as the Cavaliers pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring Orlando 33-15. Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner, who had been instrumental for the Magic throughout the season, struggled to find their rhythm, shooting a combined 3 for 28 from the field. Donovan Mitchell was able to string together multiple clutch possessions and had 39 of his own points to put the dagger in the Magic’s season. There were no other adjustments Coach Mosley could have made to help Orlando win this game because, ultimately, the team just couldn’t rise up to the occasion
The Cavaliers advance to the conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics, meanwhile the Magic, despite the bitter end to a season, are able to look back and reflect on their amazing season where they exceeded expectations and filled Orlando with promise and potential. The Magic have some decisions to make in the offseason and will look to regroup and come back stronger in the next season.
