The Magic battled back from an enormous deficit to win their inaugural road game of the season thanks to Paolo Banchero, who scored 24 points and 11 rebounds.
LeVert had an impactful defensive performance against Cleveland and helped improve shot selection, scoring some key baskets at critical moments.
| Player | Team | Points | Assists | Rebounds | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donovan Mitchell | Cleveland Cavaliers | 38 | 5 | 3 | 9 three-pointers, played through injury, defensive anchor |
| Ty Jerome | Cleveland Cavaliers | 20 | 8 | 2 | +33 plus-minus, 11:0 AST/TO ratio, floor general performance |
| De’Andre Hunter | Cleveland Cavaliers | 12 | 2 | 6 | Strong two-way play, floor spacing, key defensive stops |
| Evan Mobley | Cleveland Cavaliers | 14 | 3 | 10 | Double-double, rim protection, interior dominance |
| Franz Wagner | Orlando Magic | 12 | 2 | 3 | Versatile offensive play, effective in multiple roles |
| Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic | 24 | 4 | 11 | Led Magic’s comeback attempt, strong presence inside |
| Wendell Carter Jr. | Orlando Magic | 10 | 1 | 5 | Sparked 2nd-half rally, fought hard on boards |
| Caris LeVert | Cleveland Cavaliers | 10 | 3 | 2 | Crucial defensive plays before injury |
| Team Highlight | Cavaliers | — | — | — | Held Magic to 36% shooting, hit 19 threes, dominated early |
| Team Highlight | Magic | — | — | — | Battled back from double-digit deficit, struggled from 3 (5/28) |
Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell is one of the premier young players in the NBA. He consistently strives to improve his game and pushes himself harder each year in an attempt to become better. With playmaking ability and shooting skills that put him among the elite players of his league, Donovan Mitchell’s success on the floor was instrumental to his team’s success last season; he earned first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors while averaging 26.6 points during regular season play; also being named an All-Star twice consecutively
The Cavaliers entered Game 7 of their series against Orlando with an overwhelming 6-2 advantage, but Orlando were eager to change that in this must-win matchup despite LeBron James being absent. They ultimately managed to do just that.
Mitchell made an impactful first playoff Game 7 performance, scoring 38 points including 9 three-pointers for an outstanding 38 point performance and leading on defense with five blocks despite playing through a sprained ankle injury. It was certainly worthy of note in the orlando magic vs cleveland cavaliers match player stats from the game.
De’Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley and Ty Jerome joined him in double figures. Additionally, the Cavaliers bench outscored Orlando’s reserves 61-13 and got off to a fast start, leading by eight points after one quarter before their momentum fizzled out in subsequent quarters.
The Magic bench struggled in the second quarter, but they rebounded strongly in the third. Wendell Carter Jr. started their comeback with two quick baskets to narrow their deficit by seven by halftime. They continued fighting through to fourth quarter with several opportunities late to tie it.
Cleveland Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the first time since LeBron James took over by defeating Orlando Magic in Game 7, setting up a meeting between themselves and Boston Celtics in Round Two. It is a significant victory for them after being eliminated by New York Knicks earlier in this postseason; now, however, they hope to build upon it and win future matches against Boston.
Franz Wagner
Franz Wagner was one of the Magic’s top contributors in Game 7. He scored 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting and added three rebounds and two assists, as well as versatility by filling multiple positions while being capable of protecting his own basket by keeping opposing players away.
Orlando forward Terrence Ross recorded his first playoff double-double in the second quarter, including an alley-oop dunk that cut Cleveland’s lead down to 10-7 before they eventually pulled away for an overwhelming 24-9. Orlando struggled offensively throughout the first half and Ty Jerome’s floater gave Cleveland an early edge at halftime.
After an uneven third quarter start for Cleveland, Mitchell and Struss took control of their team, scoring 17 combined points – Mitchell’s off-balance runner being the final touch on an incredible victory that propelled Cleveland back to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since LeBron James rejoined.
This game marked a rematch from last year’s first-round clash between these teams in which Orlando won in six games, but this time around the Cavaliers proved superior as they shot 56 percent from the field and hit 19 3-pointers! Their defense also proved tough; restricting Orlando to only 36 percent shooting and 5-of-28 from beyond the arc.
It has proven difficult for the Magic to perform without two of their key players, Paolo Banchero and Moe Wagner, in particular. Both suffered injuries five weeks prior to Wagner, leaving the Magic struggling to find an identity without them on the court.
The Cavaliers’ victory in Game 7 ended the Magic’s hopes of reaching the Final Four and set them on their journey towards Boston and against a very good Celtics squad in Round 1. If they want to advance further they must replicate the intensity and concentration of Game 7, with Donovan Mitchell contributing high scoring numbers and Mobley providing crucial defense on defense in order to advance.
De’Andre Hunter
De’Andre Hunter’s return to the Cavaliers lineup has provided much-needed firepower on both ends. His ability to penetrate into the paint and grab rebounds while contributing offensively off the bench has proven effective and the second-year player has flourished since being traded at NBA trade deadline.
Virginia product Justin Hunter has proven an ideal addition for the Cavaliers, playing alongside sixth man Ty Jerome and capitalizing on their strength-through-numbers approach. Hunter is also an adept shooter who has made nearly half of his three-point attempts in playoff action while improving his defense with every outing.
Hunter will add another powerful weapon to the Cavs’ arsenal during this postseason, particularly against Boston. He played a pivotal role in their victory in Game 7 over them and can provide valuable points off the bench.
He understands the team’s offense well, playing well with their younger players. Additionally, he’s demonstrated a willingness to go hard when necessary – an attribute which has proved valuable in this series.
In order to advance to the Eastern Conference finals, Mitchell, Mobley, Jackson and Okoro must continue playing at an intense pace as shown by Game 7 against Boston Celtics. Mitchell can continue shooting efficiently while Jackson can defend the paint. With their efforts combined together, Cavs should advance.
Losing LeVert will be felt deeply by the Cavs, but they have plenty of capable shot-makers available to them to fill his shoes. Hunter gives them more flexibility as he can play both power forward and small forward positions; he could start alongside their core quartet or come in as needed defense cover from Wade while starting alongside them all at four.
Ty Jerome
Ty Jerome earned himself a reputation as an outstanding point guard while attending Virginia, and now stands as one of the three highest scoring Cavaliers players and top passers. On Tuesday night he displayed these talents once more during their 122-82 victory over Orlando Magic.
The game was a rematch of the Cavs’ 4-3 win in their initial round series. As expected, they started strong and led by double figures at the end of the first quarter, continuing their dominance throughout the second period as well.
In the third quarter, Orlando made a move against Cleveland’s lead but were ultimately too much. Although they managed to narrow it to four points by the end of it all, it soon ballooned. They finally gained ground during the fourth quarter.
Jerome was the star of Tuesday’s game and scored 20 points with eight assists and an outstanding +33 plus-minus in just 22 minutes of play. Since stepping into his starting spot for the Cavs during these playoffs, Jerome has proven his abilities as both an offensive and defensive point guard – something no other point guard has managed.
Jerome played an instrumental role in the Cavs’ defensive success against Orlando Magic, holding them to just 5 for 28 shooting from 3-point range. Additionally, Jerome achieved a career-best 11-0 assist to turnover ratio – only 13 players in NBA had higher ratios and only three starting point guards had a better ratio this season!
The orlando magic vs cleveland cavaliers match player stats showed just how dominant Cleveland was on both ends of the court, especially with Jerome leading the way in plus-minus rating and assist efficiency.
The Cavaliers are the heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference semifinals, and need just one victory more to reach the finals since LeBron James returned in 2016. Meanwhile, Orlando have not reached the finals since 2010, so this could be their chance. They face each other again on Saturday for Game 7 that could decide their destiny as conference finalists.