Desmond Bane's 35 Pushes Magic to Fifth Straight Win

The Orlando Magic are still playing the song after coming out on top with a 128-122 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers inside the Kia Center.

With 20.2 seconds to go, the Magic were up by two points, but Desmond Bane hit the dagger 3-pointer off of the inbound pass from Jalen Suggs to pull ahead by five points.

Evan Mobley dunked the ball to get it back to within a possession, but Bane was able to get those points back at the free throw line.

Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane passes the ball in front of Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Magic Take Control in Win vs. Cavaliers

From the jump, the Magic looked like they were the ones driving the bus against the Cavs. They were taking good care of the basketball, committing just six turnovers on the night, and they looked like the better team throughout the entire game. The Cavs didn't play poorly either as James Harden scored a team-high 30 points, while Donovan Mitchell added 25. Keon Ellis had 20 off the bench.

The Magic were led by Bane, who had a game-high 35 points on 12-19 shooting from the field. Paolo Banchero added 25 of his own, while Tristan da Silva managed to post 23. Suggs joined them in double figures with 12 points, while Wendell Carter Jr. had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The win also pushes the Magic to the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference standings, which puts them out of the play-in tournament. They are tied with the Miami Heat, who are in sixth place, due to having played two more games than their Sunshine State counterpart. Both teams will meet later in the week to possibly break this tie for the fifth and final time in the regular season.

The Magic have now won a season-high five games in a row and eight of their 11 games since the All-Star break. The energy the team is playing with is infectious, and everyone appears to be humming along. It's the recipe for what the Magic have been trying to build all season long, and it appears the team is playing its best basketball when it matters most going towards the postseason.

What's Next For Magic?

The Magic are back in action tomorrow when they take on the Washington Wizards. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET inside the Kia Center. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.