NBA Playoffs: Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers Series Preview
Should Be A Great First Round Defensive Battle

The 2024 NBA postseason first round matchups are set for teams seeded No. 3 through No. 6 in East and West with just the Play-In Tournament games left to figure out who will play the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds.
The Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers know they’ll play each other, with their opening-round series beginning on Saturday. Cleveland (48-34) finished just a game ahead of Orlando (47-35) for the No. 4 seed, setting up an interesting matchup between defensive-minded teams that limped to the finish line of the regular season.
The Magic vs Cavaliers odds have Cleveland as big -190 favorites.
Cleveland was 19 games over .500 after a nine-game winning streak in February and was a prime contender to wind up as the No. 2 seed in the East.
However, Donovan Mitchell was in and out of the lineup due to a knee bruise and broken nose, so the Cavaliers could never really find a rhythm after the All-Star break. Cleveland also chose to rest players for its season finale against the Hornets, leading to a loss that kept the Cavaliers on a second round collision course with the Celtics.
Charlotte won 21 games this year and wasn’t even close to making the NBA Play-In Tournament, yet it managed to knock Cleveland down in the standings.
Orlando lost four of its six games to wind up as the No. 5 seed instead of the No. 2 seed. The Magic overachieved even their own internal expectations by being a legitimate playoff team from the start of the season. This is a tough, young and talented team that the Cavaliers cannot take lightly.
Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers 
Day/Time:
Location: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Orlando Has A Chance
Despite what the Magic vs Cavaliers odds say, the Magic should not be such large underdogs in this best-of-seven. Cleveland hasn’t played good basketball in awhile and the bad vibes emanating from the Cavaliers’ season-ending home loss to the Hornets could carry over into Saturday’s game.
Orlando hasn’t been lighting the world on fine and may be showing the wear and tear of a long season but the Magic are a more youthful team than the veteran Cavaliers so their legs may be fresher.
Also, the Magic are healthier. Mitchell’s knee still isn’t 100%, and Darius Garland (back) and Caris LeVert (knee) are dealing with nagging injuries. Cleveland also could be without rotation forward Dean Wade, who may not play a huge role in the playoffs but is currently out with a knee injury.
He gives the Cavaliers some much-needed outside shooting. This should not be a cakewalk series by any means.
Expect Defensive Battles
Cleveland (6th) and Orlando (2nd) are both in the top-10 in NBA defensive rating, and without exactly dynamic offenses, the unders in this series are some of the best NBA bets today.
Both teams play with bottom-10 paces and have a bunch of switchable defenders with size who can guard multiple positions. The battles between Wendell Carter Jr. and Jarrett Allen or Paolo Banchero and Evan Mobley should be great.
The Cavaliers have the edge in the backcourt with Mitchell and Garland, but Jalen Suggs, Gary Harris, Markelle Fultz, and Colt Anthony are all capable defenders who play well within the Magic’s scheme.
At the end of the day, Mitchell and Garland will get their points because that’s what stars do — just like how Banchero will for Orlando — but Orlando’s goal is to not let either them completely take over the game.
So, if the Magic can hold those guys in check, contest Max Strus on the perimeter and not let LeVert penetrate the defense, then they should be in a pretty good spot.
Banchero Is The Key For Orlando
Donovan Mitchell is usually the best player on the floor for any game he’s in. That typically gives his team a fail-safe top option during crunch time when close playoff games tend to turn into isolation fests. A smart offensive plan is to give the ball to Mitchell and let him get to work. The Magic vs Cavaliers odds recognize that’s the case and are set accordingly.
But, in this series, it isn’t a given. Banchero has quickly become a dominant multi-level scorer whose size and play-making ability make him a threat whenever he has the ball. He isn’t as pure a scorer as Mitchell nor is he nearly as good of a shooter but he can be the best player in this series and, if he is, the Magic would be looking great for an upset.
One of the smarter predictions is that Banchero is a future All-NBA guy and the ride to that pedestal can begin with an eye-opening debut playoff performance.
The Magic will only go as far in this postseason as Banchero leads them, and at +165, there is not nearly enough respect for how good he is and how good his teammates have been all season. It’s tough to predict an upset of that caliber, but for that value, it’s a smart take.
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