Magic Drawing on Past Experiences in Game 7 vs. Cavaliers

The ups and downs at the end of the regular season have paid dividends for the Orlando Magic against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

May 3, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) drives to the basket / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — There isn't much in terms of playoff experience for a young Orlando Magic to lean on.

Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz are the only players remaining from the Magic's last playoff appearance in 2020. Despite the turnover and young players that make up its roster, Orlando hasn't played like a team that hasn't been in the moment before.

The ability to handle the moment was on full display for the Magic in their 103-96 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 on Friday at the Kia Center, forcing a Game 7. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley noted his team's run at the end of the season and some of the struggles they had helped build them for the moment they found themselves in against Cleveland.

"Their ability to reflect on those experiences, I think you can go through them and if you don't reflect on them and know exactly what has gotten you to that point, then it's pointless," Mosley said. "Our guys have reflected and you can look back at those situations and look back at those moments...It says so much about them and this group and the way that they continue to bond together."

The tough stretch near the end of the regular season included a three-game losing streak at home against the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers. The Magic also went through another rough patch, losing three straight and needing a win in the final game of the regular season to avoid the play-in tournament and got the job done with a 113-88 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

The ability to weather the storm has proven crucial for Orlando and no moment epitomized that like Game 6. The Magic had to withstand a 13-0 run at the beginning of the third quarter and trailed by as many as nine points before embarking on a comeback that was led by the trio of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs plus clutch baskets from Cole Anthony in the fourth quarter.

The four players combined for 24 of Orlando's 30 points in the fourth quarter, and Banchero made the 3-pointer that put his team up for good with 3:39 left in the game. Suggs credited the Magic's ability to overcome the challenge Cleveland presented to their poise and ability to handle the moment.

“I loved it," Suggs said. "I think all series long we’ve done a great job of staying so poised. We’ve responded to every run they’ve made, every game they’ve won, every punch they’ve thrown and anything they’ve done to try to throw us off of our game, knock us off balance. We’ve responded to it; we’ve acknowledged it and we’ve stayed centered and together and I think tonight was another example of that."

Now, Orlando faces an even bigger challenge with Game 7. Orlando has gone 2-1 all-time in Game 7, though, its last such game came in 2009. If the Magic are going to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they'll have to do something they haven't done this series, which is win in Cleveland.

But if their ability to grow as the series has gone is any indication, the Magic have a shot to do what they haven't done yet and will be ready for their biggest moment as a team on Sunday.

"This is the moment that you play for," Mosley said. "[It's] why you do it. You do it for these moments. Being on the road, Game 7, the ability to come together to continue to grow in each game, I think that's what this group is looking forward to. Lay it all out there, lay it all on the line.

Orlando plays Cleveland at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at 1 p.m. ET.

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