Orlando Magic ahead Paolo Banchero, left, appears for a shot as he strikes previous Cleveland Cavaliers heart Tristan Thompson (12) through the second half of an NBA basketball sport, Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photograph/John Raoux)
ORLANDO, Florida — Orlando’s Paolo Banchero had 20 factors and 10 rebounds, Franz Wagner scored 19 factors and the Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t get better from a dismal third quarter Monday evening in a 104-94 loss to the Magic.
Darius Garland scored 36 factors for the Cavaliers, who made solely two of 17 photographs within the third and completed with 15 factors within the interval. Donovan Mitchell added 22 factors for the Cavaliers, who had gained 4 straight on the highway.
Cleveland’s scoring complete was a season low.
“That they had some momentum performs that shifted of their favor,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff mentioned. “They obtained the group concerned. They attacked us within the paint. … We struggled to attain there.”
Paolo a bucket https://t.co/XpdFpVfLTw pic.twitter.com/NUip4TbYga
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 12, 2023
Goga Bitadze had 15 factors for the Magic, who’ve gained 11 of 13 with one of many losses coming at Cleveland final Wednesday, after they shot 2-for-23 from 3-point vary. They shot 7-for-26 Monday evening, however the Cavs have been even worse (9 of 40 from 3 and 35.3% general).
“We knew we didn’t have our greatest sport in Cleveland, and we wished to point out them, and present everyone, that we don’t wish to be the doormat anymore,” mentioned Jalen Suggs, who had 12 factors and spent a lot of the sport attempting to decelerate Garland and Mitchell.
Banchero sprained his proper ankle late within the third quarter. He returned with the ankle re-taped with 6:39 remaining and helped the Magic maintain onto the lead.
“It simply shocked me at first, put me on the bottom,” Banchero mentioned, “however I put some weight on it and felt like I may come again.”
Jalen Suggs: dawg pic.twitter.com/wWkhnzSP78
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 12, 2023
Cleveland led 54-51 after a primary half during which Garland scored 19 factors.
With 7-footer Evan Mobley lacking a second straight sport as a consequence of a sore left knee, Jarrett Allen was known as for his fourth foul simply 20 seconds into the second half, leaving the Cavaliers outmanned within the entrance court docket.
Banchero, Wagner and Bitadze took full benefit, scoring all of the factors throughout a 12-0 run late within the interval that left the Magic with a 76-65 lead. By the point Allen fouled out early within the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers have been down 89-71.
Garland and Mitchell obtained the Cavs again into the sport within the fourth, however the closest they might get was 99-94 on steal and a layup by Mitchell with 1:36 left.
“It got here right down to shot-making on the finish of it,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “It was a very good, aggressive sport, however on the finish of the day the scoreboard ticks for a cause, and we simply didn’t make sufficient photographs to win it.”
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Joe Ingles, who led the Magic’s first-half scoring with 12 factors, left within the third quarter with a sprained left ankle however returned to start out the fourth.
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: Go to Boston on Tuesday evening.
Magic: Go to Boston on Friday evening.