Halfway through their four-game road trip the Cavs were unable to overcome an 18-point deficit in a 104-94 loss to the Orlando Magic.
The Cavs ended the first quarter on an 8-0 to lead 29-22, and despite allowing a 14-3 Magic run, the Cavs were up 54-51 at halftime. However, they made just two field goals in the third quarter, were outscored 30-15 in the period, and trailed 81-69 entering the fourth.
The Cavs were without Caris LeVert, Evan Mobley, and Ty Jerome due to injury, and had Jarrett Allen for just 15 minutes. Allen picked up three fouls in the first half, two more in the third quarter, and fouled out with 9:39 remaining in the fourth on an and-one when the Magic finished an 8-2 run to start the frame. Moments later, Magic’s Moritz Wagner hit a layup to push the Magic’s lead to 91-73, the largest of the game. However, the Cavs went on a 9-0 run over the next two minutes, capped by Darius Garland’s layup to cut the deficit in half, 91-82.
The Cavs briefly trailed by 11 points with five minutes to go, but went on a 12-6 run and pulled within five points on Donovan Mitchell's steal and layup with 1:36 remaining, 99-94. However, the Cavs failed to score again while the Magic scored the game’s final five points for the 104-94 victory. With this loss the Cavs fall to 13-10, and to 1-1 against the Magic this season after winning the first meeting last Wednesday in Cleveland.
Both teams shot a low percentage from three: the Cavs went 9-for-40 (22.5%) in the game, including 3-for-23 (13%) in the second half, while the Magic went 7-for-26 (26.9%). However, the Magic shot 46.4% from the field compared to the Cavs' 35.3% field goal percentage. Both teams also had 14 turnovers, but the Magic converted the Cavs' into 26 points compared to 11 points off turnovers for the Cavs.
Darius Garland led all scorers with a season-high 36 points while Donovan Mitchell came in second with 22 points. However, Tristan Thompson was the only other Cavs player to score double-digits with 10 off the bench although he collected his first double-double of the season. Five Magic players scored double-digits, led by Paulo Banchero with a team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds and Franz Wagner chipping in 19.
The Magic improve to 16-7 and own the second-best home record in the Eastern Conference. Only the Cavs’ next opponent, the Boston Celtics (16-5), are better defending their home court, sporting a perfect 10-0 record at TD Garden. The Cavs will travel to Boston overnight for tomorrow's contest at 7:30 PM; the first of two straight games there. The Celtics last played on Friday’s when they lost to the Indiana Pacers in the In-Season Tournament.