Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic take on Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 today.
The only first-round series still in action and headed to a seventh game takes center stage today with the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (3-3) hosting the Orlando Magic (3-3). Through the first six games of this series the home team has won each with Cleveland taking that slight edge into Game 7. The first four games of the series were all blowouts with Cleveland winning at home by a combined 24 points followed by Orlando winning the next two at home by a combined 61 points. Now this seven game series is down to a win-or-go-home showdown for Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner looking to keep their seasons alive.
How to Watch Playoffs: Magic at Cavaliers today:
Game Date: May 5, 2024
Game Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Live stream Playoffs: Magic at Cavaliers on Fubo: Start with your free trial today!
This series has been a national coming out party for Banchero in his second season putting the offense on his back. He is averaging 25.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game on 48-38-71 shooting splits. During this series, Banchero has two 30-plus point games showing he can put the team on his back.
For Cleveland, it might be without starter Jarrett Allen (ribs) for the third straight game giving Evan Mobley more opportunity to control the paint. In two games with Allen out of the lineup Mobley has played great on the defensive end (seven blocks, three steals), but on the offensive end he has struggled with just 17 points and four assists on 8-16 shooting from the field.
On the perimeter, Cleveland will need big games from Mitchell, who is seemingly playing through pain and injuries, and Darius Garland. In Game 6 Mitchell carried the offense with 50 points in a loss, but has struggled all series to find his shot shooting 11-44 from three (25.0%) and scoring at an inefficient, high rate.
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