Magic, Cavaliers Enter Monday Night Shorthanded After Cleveland’s Statement Win
The Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are set to square off again tonight, but both teams will be missing some key pieces as they head into the second leg of this mini-series. The injury report is lengthy on both sides, and it could play a significant role in how this matchup unfolds at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
Injury Report: Key Names Missing
Let’s start with Orlando. The Magic will be without Franz Wagner, who’s still dealing with an ankle injury, and KJ Simpson, sidelined by a hip issue. Colin Castleton is also unavailable, currently assigned to the G League.
Cleveland’s list is even more concerning. Darius Garland remains out with a toe injury, and Max Strus is dealing with a foot issue that will keep him sidelined.
Chris Livingston and Luke Travers are also out on G League assignments. Two players are game-time decisions: De’Andre Hunter is questionable with a knee injury, and Sam Merrill is questionable due to a hand issue.
Tip-Off Details
- Game Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland
- TV: FanDuel Sports
- Betting Line: Magic +5.5
Last Time Out: Mitchell Takes Over Late
When these two teams met on Saturday night in Orlando, Donovan Mitchell put on a clinic. The All-Star guard dropped 36 points, including a blistering 17-point fourth quarter that helped the Cavaliers pull away for a 119-105 win. Mitchell’s late-game shot-making was the difference, as Cleveland outscored Orlando by 10 in the final frame.
Jaylon Tyson added 17 points in a strong supporting role, while Evan Mobley chipped in 13. The Cavaliers were dialed in offensively, shooting 53.1% from the field and knocking down 15-of-34 from deep. That kind of efficiency, especially from beyond the arc, is tough for any team to overcome.
The Magic, meanwhile, struggled to find rhythm. Despite Paolo Banchero’s 27-point effort and Desmond Bane’s 20 points, Orlando shot just 40.7% overall and 11-of-40 from three, a number that’s been a recurring theme in their recent offensive struggles.
Cleveland led 55-48 at the break and used a 10-2 run early in the fourth to stretch the lead to 18, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Cavs Heating Up at the Right Time
The Cavaliers are quietly one of the hottest teams in the East. Saturday’s win marked their fifth straight victory over Eastern Conference opponents, all of which have come on the road. Since December 29, they’ve gone 10-4, and they’ve now won five of their last six overall.
This current stretch includes a three-game win streak dating back to January 21-already the third time this season Cleveland has strung together at least three consecutive wins. Their longest win streak remains four games from early November, but the way they’re playing right now, that mark could be in jeopardy.
Cleveland also owns the recent head-to-head edge against Orlando, having won nine of the last 12 regular season meetings, including Saturday’s 14-point win.
Projected Starters
Orlando Magic
- G: Anthony Black
- G: Jalen Suggs
- C: Wendell Carter Jr.
- F: Desmond Bane
- F: Paolo Banchero
Cleveland Cavaliers
- F: Evan Mobley
- F: Jarrett Allen
- C: Dean Wade
- G: Jaylon Tyson
- G: Donovan Mitchell
What They’re Saying
Jalen Suggs, who recently returned to action for the Magic, spoke about the emotional lift of being back on the floor-even if the result wasn’t what they wanted.
“Yeah, I feel great playing basketball again. It felt great to make plays, hear the crowd, just do all that in real time, have that experience again.
So, it was love,” Suggs said. “Don't like losing, but sometimes you can't control that.
So, you know, I feel good playing out there. I feel good to be back with the brothers, and we'll keep working on building.”
Desmond Bane echoed those sentiments, but also pointed to the team’s offensive execution as an area of concern.
“Yeah, I mean I think that's been our struggle as of late, just how we're going to manufacture good looks and good possessions time after time,” Bane said. “For the most part, I thought that we played a good brand of basketball, got some open shots throughout the meat of the game and shots just didn't fall. But yeah, especially down the stretch, we got to find ways to generate good looks for us.”
What to Watch Tonight
The Cavaliers are rolling, and Mitchell is playing like a man on a mission. But with Garland and Strus still out, Cleveland will need continued contributions from guys like Tyson and Wade to keep the offense humming.
For the Magic, it’s all about finding consistency. Banchero continues to be a bright spot, but the supporting cast needs to hit shots-especially from deep-if they want to keep pace with a Cavaliers team that’s finding its groove at just the right time.
Both teams are banged up, but only one is playing with real momentum. Let’s see if Orlando can flip the script tonight-or if Cleveland keeps the Eastern Conference pressure on.