ORLANDO — The series between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers has completely shifted compared to when they last played at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
After two blowout wins in Orlando, the Magic have tied the series 2-2- and claimed all of the momentum, but does their dominance at home make them the favorite heading into a critical Game 5 in Cleveland on Tuesday?
SISportsbook.com isn’t banking on the Magic carrying their momentum from Games 3 and 4, as it has the Cavs as a -5.5 point favorite for Game 5. Cleveland is also a heavy favorite on the moneyline at -213 with Orlando as a sizeable underdog at +165.
The home team has won handily in each of the four games in the first-round matchup of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Cavs’ defense was suffocating in Games 1 and 2 in Cleveland, as they held the Magic to an average of 84.5 points. Donovan Mitchell gave Orlando fits in the first two games of the series, as he averaged 26.5 points.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner led two dominating outings in a 121-83 win in Game 3 and a 112-89 win in Game 4. The budding stars each had a game with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and no turnovers, making them the first players to do it in the playoffs in a decade.
While Orlando struggled to find the same success on the road thus far, Banchero noted the experiences of Games 1 and 2 can be instrumental in them finally getting over the hump.
“You’ve got to stick together as a group,” Banchero said. “Just hitting on all cylinders in terms of communication and being on the same page [and] just go out there and have fun. In the first two games, we had a lot of nerves, turned it over a lot and missed a lot of shots. We just have to go out there with a lot of confidence and have fun.”
If history holds, Cleveland being a -5.5 point favorite makes sense, but it’d be remiss not to note the momentum the Magic have built from Games 3 and 4. If Orlando can keep the ball rolling in Game 5 and the tandem of Banchero and Wagner continue to flourish, they could move the Magic to the doorstep of winning their first playoff series since 2010.
The Magic and Cavs square off at 8 pm ET on Tuesday at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Related stories on the Orlando Magic:
- MAGIC READY FOR CAVS’ BEST PUNCH: After winning two straight games at home and tying the series, the Orlando Magic are ready for the Cleveland Cavaliers to be at their best in Game 5. CLICK HERE
- HOW TO WATCH: The Orlando Magic visit the Cleveland Cavaliers for Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Here’s everything you need to know. CLICK HERE
- IT’S GETTING CHIPPY: The Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are picking up the intensity in their playoff series. CLICK HERE
