Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points, Evan Mobley blocked Franz Wagner’s layup in the final seconds and the Cleveland Cavaliers survived a scare from Orlando, holding off Paolo Banchero and the Magic 104-103 in Game 5 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference series.
The Cavs, who were embarrassed by the Magic while dropping two games in Orlando last week, regrouped inside the roaring Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
It took everything they had.
After Mitchell missed a jumper with 15.7 seconds left, Wagner drove the left side for a potential game-tying layup but was denied at the rim with 6 seconds left by Mobley, who smacked the ball off the backboard.
Mitchell was fouled and made two free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining to make it 104-100. There wasn’t enough time for the Magic, who got a 3-pointer in the final second from Banchero, giving him 39 points.
Playing in just his fifth postseason game, the 21-year-old Banchero looked like a savvy veteran. He scored 16 points in the fourth and finished 14 of 24 from the field (4 of 7 on 3s) and added eight rebounds.
Missing starting center Jarrett Allen with a bruised rib, Cleveland got a big lift from Max Strus, who scored 16 in his best game in the back-and-forth series. Mobley added 14 points and 13 rebounds and reserve Marcus Morris Sr. gave Cleveland toughness and 12 points.
The Cavs, who spent the season trying to put last year’s first-round flameout against New York behind them, can advance with a win in Game 6 on Friday in Orlando.
The Magic need a win to salvage their breakthrough season and force a Game 7 in Cleveland on Sunday. Orlando went 29-12 in the regular season at home and are coming off decisive wins at Kia Center.
Mitchell, who has been slowed by a left knee injury, scored 14 in the fourth — going 9 of 10 at the line.
With Banchero leading the way, the Magic, who trailed 2-0 before twice winning big at home, stared down the Cavs and a hostile, towel-waving Cleveland crowd and were poised to pull off their first playoff road win since 2019 at Toronto.
But Mitchell, Garland and Mobley wouldn’t be denied and the Cavs, who are 16-0 when leading 2-0 in a series, took care of business at home for the third time.
The Cavaliers were short-handed as Allen, who has arguably been their best player in this back-and-forth series, sat out with what the team said was a bruised rib.
Allen, who is averaging 17.0 points and 13.8 rebounds, took an elbow to the ribs in the second half of Game 4 on Saturday. He practiced Monday but was added to the injury report before being ruled out.
With Allen out, coach J.B. Bickerstaff went with a smaller first five and started Isaac Okoro.
Bickerstaff has been criticized for a lack of adjustments. But he also went deeper into his bench right away, bringing in guard Sam Merrill and both Tristan Thompson and Morris, who had only played garbage time in the Orlando blowouts.
Garland played with more aggression and erupted for 17 points in the first quarter — more than he scored in any game in the series. He made two 3-pointers and Caris LeVert added another as the Cavs scored nine points in the final 1:04 to take a 10-point lead after one.
But the Magic outscored the Cavs 24-15 in the second quarter to pull within one at half.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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