The Orlando Magic's season concludes with a Game 7 defeat in Cleveland.

Orlando Magic’s Season Ends With Game 7 Loss in Cleveland

CLEVELAND - A story of two formidable home-court advantages and a tale of two halves unfolded in Game 7 of the first-round playoff series between the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and the fifth-seeded Orlando Magic.

In this series, the home team emerged victorious in all seven games. The Cavaliers, buoyed by another extraordinary performance from Donovan Mitchell, overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to win the series finale 106-94 and advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they will face the top-seeded Boston Celtics.

Mitchell, a five-time NBA All-Star, struggled in the first half, going just 3-of-13 from the field. However, he transformed in the second half, earning his "Spida" nickname with a remarkable performance. The 6-foot-1 guard scored 39 points, with 17 crucial points coming in the tide-turning third quarter, during which the Cavs outscored the Magic by 18 points.

After the game, Mitchell acknowledged the challenge the Magic presented and recognized them as one of the league's best young teams.

"First of all, I want to give credit to the Magic," he told ABC’s Lisa Salters. "They’ve got some dawgs over there. Jamahl Mosley is a phenomenal coach. They’ve got some really good guys. Paolo Banchero is going to be a monster. Much respect to them. This wasn’t easy."

For most of the first half, the Magic outplayed the Cavs, dominating with their defense and the outstanding performance of Banchero, who scored 24 of his 38 points before halftime. Banchero also grabbed 16 rebounds, securing a pair of double-doubles in the series and three performances with over 30 points.

"Special," Mosley said of the 21-year-old second-year sensation. "There’s a reason why he’s an All-Star. There’s a reason why he’ll be All-NBA. Big moments, he never shies away from them. Never backed down. (He) wanted every ounce of whatever they were throwing at him…All the things that you’ve asked him to do in these big moments, he did."

Similar to the other three games played in Cleveland, the Magic struggled from the 3-point range, shooting 10-for-31 (32.3 percent) in Game 7. Overall, Orlando shot 33.7 percent from the floor.

Orlando's supporting cast, which performed well at home but struggled on the road throughout the series, failed to provide enough offensive firepower. Franz Wagner went 1-for-15 from the field, finishing with just six points, while Jalen Suggs scored 10 points but went 2-for-13, with eight missed attempts from beyond the arc. Orlando’s bench contributed only 21 points.

The Cavaliers played without center Jarrett Allen for the third consecutive game due to a right rib contusion. Caris LeVert, despite knee pain, contributed 15 points, while Evan Mobley's defensive prowess played a significant role in the victory.

With this loss, the Magic's Game 7 record stands at 2-2 all-time. This series marked the third time they’ve been part of a playoff series where the home team won all the games, following similar scenarios in the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers and in the first round against the Heat in 1997 (which was a best-of-five series).

Despite the disappointment of the loss, Mosley, Banchero, and the rest of the team recognize the progress they made this season and believe that the experience gained from this playoff series against the Cavs will make them stronger in the long run.

“After those first two games, everyone was looking at us like, oh I don’t know if they are ready and whatever. For us to take this to seven and then have a great first half (in Game 7), and then have them have to fight for every inch to get back in and beat us,” Banchero said. “It shows where we are headed. It shows what we were able to do this year by itself. It’s really encouraging for everybody – players, coaches, whole organization. We are really going to build off this.”