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Magic Enjoy Game 3 Win, But Eye Bigger Prize

The Orlando Magic are happy with their Game 3 win in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but they aren't satisfied.

ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic are celebrating their first playoff win at home in 13 years after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-83 on Thursday night at the Kia Center.

The win cuts the Magic's deficit in the series as they look towards evening things up, but the team is aware that the job is not finished.

"This is a really good momentum builder," Jalen Suggs said postgame. "Continuing to build on it, continuing to get better. Not get too high, not get too low. But enjoy this moment, because it's a special one."

After losing the first two games of the series in Cleveland where the team failed to score 90 points — something the team had only done once during the regular season — there was frustration, but Game 3 offered an opportunity to bounce back into the series. However, it's very clear that the Magic aren't satisfied with just one win.

"I don't think anybody's partying or anything," Paolo Banchero said. "We know we got to do the same thing on Saturday, so I think it's pretty simple. Obviously, we're proud of a win tonight. It is big to get your first playoff win at home just for this group, but we want to win the whole series, so we got to do it again."

They have to win three times in the next four games in order to advance to the second round, something the franchise hasn't done since 2010.

Game 4 is set to tipoff at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday.

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  • STARTING 5 CHANGES: The Orlando Magic made a change to the starting lineup, inserting Wendell Carter Jr. in for Jonathan Isaac. CLICK HERE
  • BIG CHANGES COMING: Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner outlined some changes the team will make ahead of Game 3. CLICK HERE
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  • BETTING ODDS: Despite losing the first two games of the series, the Orlando Magic are favored against the Cleveland Cavaliers. CLICK HERE