Donovan Mitchell’s big night leads Cavs over struggling Magic
Donovan Mitchell scored 26 of his 45 points in the first half and Evan Mobley had 20 points and nine rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the visiting Orlando Magic 114-98 on Monday night, sweeping their home-and-home set.
Jaylon Tyson, named to the Rising Stars Game at All-Star weekend earlier in the day, had 14 points and nine rebounds, and Jarrett Allen scored nine for the Cavaliers. Cleveland won its fourth straight and is 11-4 since Dec. 29, including a 119-105 victory Saturday in Orlando.
Paolo Banchero scored 15 points in the third quarter, finishing with a season-high 37 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic in their fourth consecutive loss. Desmond Bane had 19 points and Jalen Suggs dished out six assists.
Orlando also received 14 points from Anthony Black and nine points, seven rebounds, two defensive three-second technicals and an unsportsmanlike technical from Wendell Carter Jr. The Magic's last win was Jan. 15 over the Memphis Grizzlies in Germany.
Mitchell buried a pull-up jumper over Noah Penda at the halftime buzzer, wrapping up his 16-point period and extending the Cavaliers' advantage to 61-56. It gave Mitchell 53 points in his last four quarters against Orlando.
Mitchell gave the Cavs command early in the third quarter with eight straight points to push their lead out to 69-60.
Bane scored 10 points and Black had seven points and three steals in the first quarter, leading the Magic to a 32-22 lead. Mitchell had 10 points and Mobley added eight for Cleveland, which committed six turnovers to none by Orlando in the quarter.
Magic small forward Franz Wagner missed his third straight game with a left high ankle sprain and is out indefinitely. Suggs played in his second in a row after being sidelined since Jan. 2 with an MCL contusion in his right knee.
Cavaliers swingman Sam Merrill, who has been out since Jan. 16 with a right hand sprain, was inactive for personal reasons. Small forward De'Andre Hunter did not dress for the second consecutive contest with right knee soreness.