ORLANDO, Fla. — The Magic huddled up 4 minutes into the third quarter of Sport 6 in opposition to the Cavaliers.
Coach Jamahl Mosley known as a timeout amid a 13-4 Cavaliers run that propelled Cleveland from down 4 at halftime to up seven. His message to his younger staff was easy: “Keep the course. It is a lengthy recreation. Now we have to know it is a recreation of runs.”
It was nonetheless a five-point recreation heading into the fourth quarter, however the Magic took the lead inside the first two minutes. Paolo Banchero scored 10 of his 27 factors within the fourth quarter because the Magic overcame a 50-point efficiency from Donovan Mitchell to carry off the Cavaliers 103-96 and power a Sport 7 on Sunday in Cleveland.
Franz Wagner completed with 26 factors whereas Jalen Suggs had 22 factors and 6 3-pointers.
“Something they’ve completed to try to throw us off our recreation, knock us off steadiness, we have responded to it,” Suggs stated. “We did not need to finish it right here, and I believe all of us discovered consolation in that — in understanding how a lot stress, you’ll be able to name it, is on this recreation. Nevertheless it was simply one other recreation for all of us.”
Sustaining poise has been a message Mosley has conveyed to his staff all season. Throughout this playoff sequence — the primary postseason for all however three Magic gamers — it has been essential.
It was much more vital in Sport 6, not due to Cleveland’s third-quarter run, however due to Mitchell’s offensive efficiency.
“He was going, however the different guys did not have it going as a lot,” Mosley stated. “Nobody overreacted [to Mitchell]. He is a particular, particular participant. To have the ability to have 50 and solely make three 3s, that is very particular. However our capability to not overreact or panic to what was taking place as a result of we continued to share it, transfer it, belief one another.”
Mitchell’s 50 factors tied for the second most in a loss in a possible sequence clincher in NBA historical past, based on ESPN Stats & Data. Mitchell additionally grew to become the primary participant in NBA postseason historical past to have a number of 50-point street losses.
As a staff, the Cavaliers went 7-of-28 from 3-point vary and 5-of-10 from the free throw line. They dedicated eight of their 13 turnovers within the fourth quarter. Mitchell was the one Cavaliers participant to attain within the last 14 minutes of the sport, and his 22 factors in that span are the second-longest streak to finish a playoff recreation in 25 years.
“We missed photographs. Mine went in, but when it is not 50 possibly it is 60 or no matter it’s,” Mitchell stated. “Perhaps it is 30-10-10, regardless of the recreation requires. It’s what it’s. We did not win the sport. If I had 20 extra, we’d be up 20 extra. Regardless of the recreation requires, it is my job to determine it out.”
After the sport, Mitchell known as for his staff to aim 30 to 40 3s per recreation. He desires to see extra free throws after they drive to the ring as a lot as they did, scoring 66 factors within the paint. He desires extra stress on the boards, as they had been outrebounded by 10.
However he additionally repeatedly stated, “It is over with.” With Sport 7 shortly approaching, there is a stage of irrelevancy to the what-ifs from Friday’s recreation — or another recreation of the sequence.
“All the stuff you have completed for six video games all goes out the window,” Mitchell stated. “It is all about desperation and can. It should be similar to tonight — discover was to repeatedly be relentless. I’ve little question that we’ll present up.”
