CLEVELAND – Eventually, you had to figure, at least one of these games in this first-round playoff series between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers would come down to the wire.
The Cavs in the first two games never trailed, while the Magic led at one point in Game 3 by 43 and in Game 4 by 30.
The outcome of Game 5, however, was up in the air until the final seconds.
Despite a Herculean effort by Paolo Banchero, who erupted for 39 points, the Magic were unable to hold off the Cavs in the final moments in a 104-103 defeat at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Tuesday night.
Evan Mobley made the game’s biggest plays. First, with 1:43 left, he put Cleveland in front with a dunk. Then, with 40 seconds remaining, his layup extended the Cavs’ lead to four. Finally, with Cleveland up just two, he blocked Franz Wagner’s potential game-tying layup attempt in the final seconds.
“I thought he did a great job getting to the basket,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said of that shot attempt from Wagner. “Mobley made a hell of a play with the block at the rim. With pace, we went down with speed. He had gotten an opportunity. Mobley made a hell of a play on the ball.”
Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 28 points, knocked down a pair of free throws subsequently to seal it.
The game was a seesaw battle most of the way. There were 17 lead changes. The Cavs led by 10 early and the Magic’s largest lead was three.
Three-point shooting was again an issue for the Magic in this arena. After going 8-for-37 from beyond the arc in Game 1 and 9-for-35 in Game 2, Orlando went 9-for-31 in Game 5.
Cleveland also took advantage of Orlando’s mistakes, scoring 17 points off the Magic’s turnovers.
The Cavs were forced to roll out a smaller starting lineup because of the absence of Jarrett Allen, who was unable to go because of a right rib contusion. Cleveland slid Mobley to center and Isaac Okoro got the start alongside Mitchell, Darius Garland and Max Strus. Gary Harris, meanwhile, left the game early for the Magic with a right hamstring strain.
Banchero had an all-around stellar performance, making 14 of his 24 floor shots, including four of his seven 3-pointers, to go along with grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists. Franz finished with 14 points, five rebounds and six assists, while Jalen Suggs had 13 points.
“I just wanted to be aggressive, hunt my shots and make the shots that I take,” Banchero said. “I think I got a little fatigued at the end. I think Mobley did a good job of kind of playing in between to where he was still able to contest but (also) waiting for the drive. It was tough. There are a couple possessions where I wish I could have back.”
Garland posted 23 points for the Cavs, while Strus scored 16 and Mobley had 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The Magic will look to even up this best-of-seven series when they host Game 6 on Friday at Kia Center. If a Game 7 is necessary, it will take place back in Cleveland on Sunday.
