NBA Playoff Picks 4/22 – Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA Playoff Picks 4/22 – Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

The first round of the NBA playoffs continues tonight with the fifth-seeded Orlando Magic (47-35) visiting the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34) in Game 2 on NBA TV. Cleveland is a 5.5-point favorite and the total is 203. Cleveland knocked off Orlando 97-83 in Game 1. Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 30 points (11-21 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 5-5 FT) in the win. Jarrett Allen scored 16 points and pulled down 18 boards for Cleveland. Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists across 41 minutes in his playoff debut. He also committed nine turnovers.

GAME STORYLINES: ORLANDO

The Orlando Magic franchise went through a dark period after trading their franchise center Dwight Howard – the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft – to the Los Angeles Lakers in August 2012. In 8 seasons with Orlando, Howard made 6 All-Star games, won Defensive Player of the Year three times and led Orlando the 2009 NBA Finals. The ensuing 10 seasons post-Dwight Howard saw Orlando finish with a winning season just once – the 2018-19 Magic team went 42-40. That Magic team made the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and were eliminated by the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors in five games.  

After years of not being able to land a franchise player in the draft or free agency, Orlando struck gold when they wound up with the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft and selected Duke forward Paolo Banchero. The talented 6-foot-10 forward became an instant impact player in the NBA by averaging 20 ppg and 6.9 rpg as a rookie. Banchero was named the unanimous Rookie of the Year after receiving 98 of 100 first-place votes. Orlando also increased their win total by 12 games (34-48) in Banchero’s rookie season.

The 21-year-old Banchero was even better this season in year two. He finished up his sophomore campaign with averages of 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.5 threes on 45.5 percent shooting from the floor across 80 games. Banchero led Orlando in points, rebounds and assists, and was named an All-Star this season. Orlando increased their win total for a second straight season, this time by 14 games to 48-34. Orlando’s 48 wins are their most since the 2012-13 season, which was Dwight Howard’s last year with the team.  

Small forward Franz Wagner is the co-star with Banchero for Orlando. The third-year swingman was selected eighth overall in the 2021 NBA draft by Orlando and has improved each season in a similar fashion to Banchero. The 22-year-old Wagner finished the regular season averaging 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals on 48.2 percent shooting from the floor across 72 games. Wagner had an excellent all-around game in the Game 1 loss at Cleveland finishing with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal across 38 minutes. The talented, young duo of Banchero (21) and Wagner(22) have the chance to lead Orlando to extraordinary heights in the near future.

GAME STORYLINES: CLEVELAND

After losing superstar LeBron James for a second time following the 2017-18, the Cleveland Cavaliers were in real danger of having a long string of dismal seasons – as they did when LeBron left in 2010. They posted records of 19-63, 19-46 and 22-50 in the three seasons (2018-2020) post-LeBron. Cleveland was able to parlay a surprising 44-38 finish in 2021-22 into having enough assets and confidence to acquire three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell in September 2022. Mitchell gave the Cavs the franchise-player they lacked since LeBron departed.

Donovan Mitchell has exceeded expectations during his two seasons in Cleveland. He averaged a career-high 28.3 ppg in his first year with the Cavs and led them to a 51-31 record, which was their most wins since 2016-17. Mitchell was terrific again this season as he finished with averages of 26.6 points, 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 threes and 1.8 steals, while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor. His rebounds and assists averages were career-highs. Mitchell missed 27 games this season due to a left knee bone bruise and a nasal fracture suffered in a Mar. 16 loss to Houston. He did look completely healthy in the Game 1 win against Orlando. 

Guard Darius Garland (18 pts, 6.5 asts, 1.3 stls, 2.3 threes), center Jarrett Allen (16.5 pts, 10.5 rebs, 1.1 blks, 63.4% from 2), power forward Evan Mobley (15.7 pts, 9.4 rebs, 1.4 blks, 57.9% from 2) and reserve swingman Caris LeVert (14 ppg, 5.1 asts, 4.1 rebs, 1.1 stls, 1.6 threes) have all had outstanding seasons alongside Mitchell, and in place of him at various points of the year. A case could be made that the 26-year-old Allen was the team’s regular season MVP.  He had one of the best seasons of his 7-year NBA career and played in 77 games while Mitchell, Mobley and Garland all dealt with lengthy injuries. The versatile LeVert also elevated his production in the absence of key players. 

THE PICK: CAVS (- 5.5)

Game 1 showed me that Orlando doesn’t have the experience or size to win more than 2 games in this series against the Cleveland. Lay the Points and take the Cavs!

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