- One down. *breathes a sigh of relief*
- It’s only one game but after the bad taste of last year’s playoffs, it was important to come out strong, and play a complete game. It’s also important to note teams that win Game 1 in any series go on to win that series about 75% of the time.
- More than anything else, the Knicks punched the Cavs first and the Cavs often didn’t know how to punch back. While the Magic are no New York team, they looked to be every bit as physical and relentless. They brought the fight to the Cavs, and the Cavs looked like they were ready for it. Playoff series can either make or break you and after one game, it looks like the New York series made the Cavs in game one.
- One of the bigger stories heading into game was how the Magic would handle their starting lineup and Jonathan Isaac. Well, they decided to bench Wendell Carter Jr in favor of Isaac. We detailed what this meant for the Cavs, in short: The Magic felt Isaac would better deal with Mitchell and Garland off the pick-and-roll. Isaac allowed more switchable, agile defensive method.
- The Cavs disregarded any of that and came out firing. They hit on their first five three-pointers including a bailout, rainbow Donovan Mitchell three. The Cavs hit on back-to-back threes to start the game, and Evan Mobley tossed into two threes for good measure. If Mobley is going to hit those with consistency…
- In a trend that would continue all game, the Magic were pounding the paint early. 9’, 1’, 1’, 3’, 1’ were all the made two-pointers within the first six minutes along with a few free-throws. A few of those looks came off some Cavalier breakdowns but the Magic were attacking the paint.
- For the entire quarter, all 6 two-point makes came within the paint with 5 of them being in the restricted area. They did not hit any mid-range shots in the first quarter, and only took one.
- The Magic were 2-9 on 3P in the first quarter but the quality of looks was good. The Cavs started to sink hard on any drives or paint touches leaving the Magic perimeter players open off kick outs. Now, Thibs chose this option all series long last year and the Cavs could never solve it. JB Bickerstaff may be electing for this same option so it’ll be interesting if the Magic shooters can bounce back, and if so, how the Cavs counter it.
- The Cavs managed two separate 8-0 runs in the first quarter. The first one helped the Cavs take an 11-point lead, and the second one helped the Cavs take a 12-point lead. The Magic never led the entire game, and having to play catch up all game was a big reason why.
- A point to note in the first quarter, and a reoccurring theme all day, was too many Cavalier turnovers. The Cavs had 4 in the first quarter and 18 on the game. The Cavs were able to get out of this game unscathed but if they want to get where they want to get to, they must take care of the ball.
- The Cavs scored 33 first quarter points and had a 126.9 ORTG. Those numbers would not be seen again.
- One of the questions going in with no Dean Wade is who would get second shift on Paolo Banchero? Well, Georges Niang got that assignment. More later on that.
- Caris LeVert and Niang come in towards the end of the first quarter and the offense immediately started to slump. They also carried that over into the start of the second. Niang and LeVert combined to go 0-5 from the field and turn the ball over twice in that stretch. The Cavs didn’t have a field goal for close to five minutes.
- As a result, Bickerstaff had a quick trigger on LeVert and benched him place of Sam Merrill. Bickerstaff said he was trying to work through how Tristan Thompson, Marcus Morris Sr and Merrill would be involved, and it seems like if one of the rotation players are struggling, they may get the quick hook for one of these three.
- Unfortunately, Merrill went 0-2 on 3’s in 4 minutes.
- Despite their hot start from deep, the Cavs went 0-6 from 3. It’s this type of stretch where you’d like to see better game recognition on what they need, and how to work through it.
- Case in point: Mobley was WORKING. He was making Magic mismatches pay and was going strong at guards he caught in the post. He had 6 points in 2 minutes and was delivering in the post on the opportunities he got. In this 6-minute run, he needs more touches if he’s going to have the hot hand.
- If people are saying Mobley isn’t living up to the hype, they’re not watching. He showed his improved range in the first quarter, showed his improved aggressiveness in the post in the second quarter, and was a defensive difference maker the entire game. He’s really on the cusp.
- Aside from building a brick house with the second quarter perimeter shooting, the quarter was most notable for things getting chippy. Cleveland, you have a new villain in Mo Wagner. After some words and shoulders were exchanged, Wagner and the Cavs ran into each other a few different times. An Okoro shoulder to Wagner after the play earned a technical, and so did some choice Niang words.
- But this is what Wagner does and who he is. He comes in, plays physical, makes hustle plays, grabs rebounds and shifts momentum. The Cavs can fight back but can’t give in to what makes Wagner the player he is.
- Bickerstaff chose to go with Niang on Banchero in the second and Banchero only went 1-2 from the field and earned one trip to the line. Despite Niang not hitting on his perimeter shot, he was able to be effective other ways by using his physicality to play Banchero surprisingly well.
- After a hot first quarter, the Cavs and Magic combined for two more points (35) in the second quarter than just the Cavs scored in the first quarter (33). Both teams struggled to get anything going and really were kept afloat from the free-throw line: 8 FTM and 5 FTM for the Magic in the quarter.
- Something else to watch is how much the lead swings with Mitchell on the bench. The Cavs had some up and down in the second but managed to come out a net neutral. When Mitchell came back in and Garland went off, the Cavs were a +3.
- Oh, and Allen caught a BODY.
- Give credit to the Magic: They didn’t look too big for the moment and weren’t going to go down without a fight. They came out of the locker room and started the second half by turning up the dial on the ball pressure. They had been pressing on-and-off throughout the game, but they were picking up aggressively at half court and in the Cavs ball-handlers grill.
- And this worked in the Magic’s favor. The Magic forced 4 turnovers in the first three minutes and the Cavs only had 3 FGA in their first five offensive possessions.
- Of course, the Magic went on a 9-0 run and were able to cut the Cavs lead to just 5.
- It also didn’t help the Cavs still couldn’t convert on three-point looks. They went o-for again to the tune of 0-7.
- People of Twitter called this game like a rock fight and going scoreless over 2:30+ of gameplay will do that. The Magic had it within 5 but couldn’t quite get over that extra hump.
- The Magic were able to get as close as 4 at one point but the Cavs quickly went on a 6-0 run to push it back to double digits. It was also part of a larger 13-2 run to finish the quarter for the Cavs which had them leading by 15 at the end of the quarter. That also included a 7-2 stretch with Mitchell on the bench for 2+ minutes.
- Credit LeVert: After a rough first half, he responded with 5 points and was a +8 in the third. His putting pressure on the rim was really a needed momentum shift.
- Banchero started to get some offense going with 8 points but had to take 6 FGA and 3 FTA to do so. Bickerstaff elected to keep Niang on Banchero once Mobley went to the bench. Despite Okoro being on the court at the same time and having a good history guarding Banchero, it certainly was an interesting choice.
- And this isn’t a slight to Niang for the job he did, or Bickerstaff in sticking with what was working at the time. It’s more so when you have an offensive player as good as Banchero, you have to keep him thinking instead of reacting and that means switching up looks. Throwing the same player, same look at him, unless they’re an elite defender, only means it’s a matter of time until they find their rhythm. Yes, Niang was working but throwing Okoro on him in stretches helps break up what Banchero is seeing and forces him to adapt to who’s guarding him.
- If you thought the Magic shooting 25% in the second quarter was bad, they followed it up shooting 27.3% in the third.
- The fourth quarter is the only quarter the Magic won but it might have been too little, too late.
- The Cavs pushed their lead to 20 to start the fourth quarter but the Magic responded with a 11-0 run to put them back within 10. This stretch included two of the first three-pointers for the Magic since the first quarter. The Magic went 31+ minutes between making three-pointers.
- The Magic’s physicalness continued to cause the Cavs issues. It forced the Cavs to start their offense further from the basket, made it seem a bit disjointed, and relegated the Cavs to running pick-and-roll looks to find quick shots as the shot block winded down.
- One item the Cavs will have to improve upon is how they beat the pressure. Garland has a bad habit of trying to dribble out of pressure or not giving the ball up quickly so the ball can find the open spot. It’s part of the reason he had 5 turnovers.
- The Cavs will need to work on ball and player movement to beat the pressure not dribbling. Dribbling allows the Magic to remain sticky on the ball.
- Speaking of Garland his pull-up jumper and step back three-pointer jumper sealed the deal late for the Cavs. His clutch time production has been spotty so seeing him nail these shots when the Cavs needed it is a welcomed sight. And so was his smile afterwards.
- Garland also had a key assist to Mitchell for a three-pointer a few minutes prior. Garland absorbed the pressure just long enough to free Mitchell and was able to find Mitchell off the blitz. These are the type of plays that Garland must make more of: Not the flashy plays but the right plays. The right plays flash on the scoreboard.
- Mitchell may be playing on a less than 100% knee but his explosiveness looked good. He had a few of his patented mid-range floaters where he was able to get off the ground quick and get the type of elevation he’s used to. We’ll see if that carries over into game two but encouraging signs after how he was moving late in the season.
- Mitchell was also 3-5 in the restricted area, and 4-4 in the paint. After all the talk of Mitchell’s lack of explosiveness taking away from his inside game, he responded with an aggressive, and persistent attack inside.
- Really the difference in this game was the Cavs bigs: Allen, Mobley and Niang. Niang for his defense (yes, you read that right). He finished a team high +13. The Cavs are now 35-6 when Niang has a positive plus-minus. With Allen, he was on the glass all night long with 18 rebounds. The Cavs need that type of aggressiveness on the glass to carry over. With Mobley, it was his versatile performance but most notably making the defense respect him on the perimeter and showing more offensively more consistently than we have to date.
- The Cavs survived their role players going 3-16 from three. They’ll take it but those numbers need to improve.
- The Magic switched their starters only to have it be their worst plus-minus (-10) all night. The grouping only mustered a 88.9 ORTG.
- For the Cavs, their starters were a +5. The only more successful lineup was Mitchell + LeVert + Strus + Niang + Allen at +9.
- Strus had a relatively unassuming night: 7pts, 9 rebs, 1 ast, 1 stl and 1-5 on 3’s but he was a key part of the Cavs best lineups. Strus was in the top-3 two-man and three-man, and in the top-2 of the Cavs best four-man pairings. For a guy like that, his gravity matters and so does all the little things he provides.
Up next: Monday at home at 7PM(ET)
BOX SCORE
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#5 MAGIC at #4 CAVALIERS | FULL GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS | April 20, 2024
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