josh cohen

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Josh Cohen

The Orlando Magic made 25 shots during the 2023-24 regular season in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime with the score differential within three points. Paolo Banchero made 14 of them, the third-most in the league this season. Only Steph Curry (22) and DeMar DeRozan (19) made more.&nbsp;

Here were Banchero’s most memorable ones:

After Lauri Markkanen put Utah up one with a 3-pointer with 20.1 seconds remaining, Banchero countered with a go-ahead left-handing driving layup with 14.0 seconds left. The Magic would get a stop on the Jazz’s ensuing possession to help secure a 115-113 victory.

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Paolo Banchero Game Winner vs. Jazz (11/2/23)

The score knotted up at 94 after Zach LaVine hit a second consecutive 3-pointer, Banchero backed down Alex Caruso in the post and connected on a turnaround jumper in the lane with 1.4 seconds left to lift the Magic to a 96-94 win in Chicago. 

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Paolo Banchero Game Winner vs. Bulls (11/15/23)

Four of those 14 clutch shots from Banchero came in this game, ultimately won by the Kings in double overtime. Among them was a tying layup with 1.1 seconds left in the first OT off an inbounds pass from Chuma Okeke. 

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Paolo Banchero Game-Tying Shot vs. Kings (1/2/24)

Down the stretch of a thriller in Miami, Banchero knocked down two straight mid-range jumpers – the first pulling Orlando within one with 1:10 left and the second giving them the lead with 39 seconds remaining. The Heat, however, would go on to win after Bam Adebayo hit a mid-range jumper of his own with 18.1 seconds left. 

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Paolo Banchero Clutch Shots vs. Heat (1/12/24)

Needing a three to tie it, Banchero delivered with a triple over the reach of both Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu with 8.4 seconds left. Dejounte Murray responded, however, on the game’s final possession with a game-winning jumper at the buzzer. 

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Paolo Banchero Game-Tying 3-Pointer vs. Hawks (1/17/24)

Despite feeling under the weather, Banchero stepped up in the final seconds with a game-winning AND-1 jumper over Jalen Duren with eight-tenths of a seconds left to propel the Magic to a thrilling 112-109 win in Detroit. 

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Paolo Banchero Game Winner vs. Pistons (2/24/24)

Franz Wagner made three of those 25 shots, including a go-ahead AND-1 driving layup with 20.6 seconds left in Chicago on Nov. 17. He also connected on a go-ahead floater with 45 seconds remaining against the Hawks in Mexico City on Nov. 9.&nbsp;

Jonathan Isaac had two of them – both putbacks off offensive rebounds (at Timberwolves with 1:17 left on Feb. 2 and vs. Bulls with 1:06 left in OT on Feb. 10). Cole Anthony also had two – a reverse layup with 1:47 left at Denver on Jan. 5 and a go-ahead driving layup with 27 seconds remaining vs. Kings on March 23. Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz and Caleb Houstan each made one.

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Paolo Banchero Was One of NBA’s Most Clutch Performers in 2023-24

ORLANDO - A couple weeks ago, the Orlando Magic and AdventHealth held a basketball clinic for a few dozen youth from the Levy-Hughes Boys & Girls Club in Parramore. Afterwards, the teenagers that attended were surprised with tickets to Game 4 of the Magic’s first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

On Friday, another Central Florida Boys & Girls Club got a big surprise. This time, it was at the Universal Orlando Branch Foundation on Raleigh Street, where representatives from the Magic, including Community Ambassador Bo Outlaw, and AdventHealth came by to renovate the teen room with a new television, study tables, gaming chairs, pop-a-shot, a foosball table, gaming consoles, an NBA Jam Arcade system, video games and board games.

There were also updates added to the club’s “quiet room,” including new furniture and mental health resources for youth. In addition, the Magic and AdventHealth provided the entire club with Papa Johns pizza.

“We are really excited to be able to offer this opportunity to the Boys and Girls Clubs, which has been a long-standing partner of the Orlando Magic and OMYF (Orlando Magic Youth Foundation),” Magic Executive Vice President of Marketing and Social Responsibility Shelly Wilkes said. “Through our partnership with AdventHealth and our run in the playoffs, we wanted to really give back and find a project and opportunity to really support the kids in our community.

“I think it’s really important for the Magic to be engaged with the youth of our community in a multitude of ways. And this is just one of those ways where we can provide a safe space for them, provide excitement, provide engagement, and provide a place that they want to come to every day – so that they can enrich their lives and be positive influences on their peers as well.”

The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida is to “inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.”

Every day after school, as well as all summer long, the clubs provide a safe and caring experience for children between the ages of 6 and 18 from Central Florida’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods, at no or little cost to their families. By providing academic support, extracurricular opportunities and guidance from positive adult role models, the clubs aim to break the cycle of poverty for future generations.&nbsp;

Having organizations such as the Magic and AdventHealth do all they do for the community is a game changer – not only for the resources they provide, but also for the spirit and compassion that the kids feel when they come around. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I think it’s incredible,” said Charlene Cypress, service director at the Universal Orlando Branch Foundation Boys & Girls Club. “I think that the kids see role models such as the Magic, and they see those figures as someone that they want to be like. But to have the two bridge the gap between the Magic and Boys and Girls Club provides them with the opportunity to say, ‘the same that they did, I can do too.’”&nbsp;

As partners for 30 years, the Magic and AdventHealth are committed to enhancing the healthy, active lives of players, fans and the Central Florida community. Together, they’ve gone above and beyond throughout these years to help youth reach their full potential.

“For us as the Orlando Magic, one of the key elements of who we are as an organization is to support the community and really be that fabric for Central Florida,” Wilkes said. “When we have partners like AdventHealth that can come alongside us and do that, it’s extremely important. We always say that every day in the community is gameday. That is truly what we believe. It’s how we operate as an organization, and we are so thankful that AdventHealth is that partner that can come alongside us and do that – and to be able to support the Boys and Girls Clubs, which do amazing work.”&nbsp;

Off the court, on an annual basis, the Magic give more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise and grants. Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 100,000 kids each year, while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 7,000 volunteer hours annually. In addition, the OMYF, which serves at-risk youth, has distributed more than $29 million to local nonprofit community organizations over the last 34 years.

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Orlando Magic, AdventHealth Surprise Local Boys & Girls Club With Teen Room Renovation 

1. Paolo Banchero Has a Chance to Be One of the All-Time Greats

There are many reasons why this is. Most obvious, he’s doing things statistically only all-time greats do. For example, by averaging 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 2023-24, he became just the fourth player 21 years old or younger to average 22-plus points, six-plus rebounds and five-plus assists with 40-plus games played. The others were Michael Jordan, LeBron James (twice) and Luka Doncic (twice).&nbsp;

Banchero also scored over 30 points three times in Orlando’s first-round playoff series against Cleveland. Only LeBron was younger when he accomplished that (did it five times in 2006 first-round series against Wizards and scored at least 30 three times in following series against Pistons). Banchero’s 38 points in Game 7 were the most ever by a player 21 or younger in a Game 7.&nbsp;

Other things going for him are his poise, maturity, work ethic, and love of the game.&nbsp;

2. Magic’s Defense Was Great And Should Continue to Be

Magic players said over and over again at media day, and even more so throughout training camp, that defense would be what they hang their hat on. That proved to be legit. Orlando finished with the league’s third-best defense (No. 1 after All-Star break) and held its opponent under 100 points 23 times, tied with Minnesota and New York for most.&nbsp;

While everyone did their part, the two that went above and beyond defensively were Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac. Opponents shot just 39.1 percent with Isaac contesting, per Second Spectrum. That was third best among players who contested at least 300 shots and best among non-guards. Suggs did his best work following the All-Star break, when opponents shot just 37.9 percent with him contesting, fifth best among those during that time frame with 200-plus contests.&nbsp;

3. Kia Center Has Turned Into One of Best Home Courts

Overall, in the regular season, the Magic went 29-11 in their home arena. The only Eastern Conference teams with better home records than Orlando were Boston and Milwaukee.&nbsp;

Also, the Magic went a perfect 17-0 against sub-.500 teams at Kia Center. Boston, OKC and Denver also didn’t lose at home against those teams, but with fewer opportunities. The Celtics were 16-0, while the Thunder and Nuggets were each 15-0.&nbsp;

The Magic then went on to win all three of their home playoff games against the Cavs, including in Games 3 and 4 by a combined 61 points. They were the first team ever in a playoff series to win Games 3 and 4 by a combined 60-plus points after losing the first two games.&nbsp;

4. No Surprise, But the Regular Season Matters (A lot)

One of the biggest fallacies in the NBA is that it’s fine to coast in the regular season. Just make the playoffs, and then you’ll turn it on when the stakes are higher, many have in the past said.&nbsp;

History, however, tells a much, much different story. Rarely do lower-seeded playoff teams advance far in the postseason. Yes, the Heat made the Finals last year as a No. 8 seed. The Knicks were also a No. 8 seed when they reached the Finals in 1999, which was a lockout-shortened season. Those are exceptions. The reality is, most of the time, teams seeded between one and four in their respective conferences are the ones who are in position to go on deep playoff runs, no matter how close the final regular season standings were.&nbsp;

Just look at this year’s first-round results. In the West, the No. 1, 2, 3 and 5 seeds advanced. The No. 4-seeded Clippers didn’t have Kawhi Leonard most of their series against the Mavs. In the East, the No. 1, 2, 4 and 6 seeds advanced. The No. 3-seeded Bucks didn’t have Giannis Antetokounmpo in their series against the Pacers, and Damian Lillard missed two of those games.&nbsp;

The bottom line for the Magic going forward is they must take every regular season game seriously because one game could be the difference between going on a deep playoff run versus being ousted in the first round. If they were at home in Game 7 against the Cavs rather than in Cleveland, just think about how different things might be right now.&nbsp;

5. Magic Have An Amazing Coaching/Training Staff

Making a 25-win jump across a two-year span is not common, especially for a young team. But that’s precisely what the Magic accomplished, going from 22 wins in 2021-22, to 34 wins in 2022-23, to 47 wins in 2023-24. Head coach Jamahl Mosley, who finished second behind OKC’s Mark Daigneault for the Coach of the Year award this season, and his entire coaching staff have done an incredible job steering this group in the right direction.&nbsp;

All year, the Magic stuck to their principles and didn’t change who they were. They understand what their strengths were. They knew it had to be done by committee. That’s the buy-in that’s necessary to make major strides.

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2023-24 Exit Interviews: Paolo Banchero

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2023-24 Exit Interviews: Franz Wagner

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2023-24 Exit Interviews: Jeff Weltman

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2023-24 Exit Interviews: Jamahl Mosley

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5 Things Learned About the Orlando Magic During the 2023-24 Season

CLEVELAND - A tale of two outstanding home-court advantages and a tale of two halves in Game 7. 

They are the narratives that defined the first-round playoff series between the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and fifth-seeded Orlando Magic.&nbsp;

The home team won all seven games and the Cavs, behind another Herculean performance from Donovan Mitchell, erased an 18-point first-half deficit to win the series finale 106-94 and advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they will take on the top-seeded Boston Celtics.&nbsp;

Mitchell, a five-time NBA All-Star, was just 3-of-13 from the field prior to intermission, and then like a flip of a switch, he transformed into “Spida,” a nickname given to him by a former teammate’s father for his Spider-man-like attributes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The 6-foot-1, long-armed guard ended up scoring 39 points, 17 coming in the tide-turning third quarter when the Cavs outscored the Magic by 18.&nbsp;

Immediately following the game, he acknowledged just how tough it was to play against the Magic and, after going toe-to-toe against them for seven games, can see why they are widely thought of as one of the best young teams in the league.&nbsp;

“First of all, I want to give to the credit to the Magic, man,” he told ABC’s Lisa Salters. “They’ve got some dawgs over there. Jamahl Mosley is a phenomenal coach. They’ve got some guys (that are really good). Paolo Banchero is going to be a monster. Much respect to them. This wasn’t easy.”&nbsp;

For most of the first half, the Magic were outmuscling and outhustling the Cavs. Their defense, which is their calling card, was smothering, and they were forcing Cleveland into an abundance of heavily-contested shots – both in the paint and on the perimeter.

The other big component of Orlando’s early-game success was the dominant play of Banchero, scored 24 of his 38 points prior to the break. He also finished with 16 rebounds, giving him a pair of double-doubles in the series and three performances of over 30 points.

“Special,” Mosley said of the 21-year-old second-year sensation. “There’s a reason why he’s an All-Star. There’s a reason why he’ll be All-NBA. Big moments, he never shies away from them. Never backed down. (He) wanted every ounce of whatever they were throwing at him…All the things that you’ve asked him to do in these big moments, he did.”&nbsp;

As was the case in each of the other three games in Cleveland, the Magic struggled mightily from 3-point range, going 10-for-31 (32.3 percent) in Sunday’s Game 7. Overall, Orlando shot 33.7 percent from the floor.

The Magic’s supporting cast, which was superb at home but limited on the road throughout the series, didn’t collectively do enough offensively. Franz Wagner, uncharacteristically, went 1-for-15 from the field and finished with just six points. Jalen Suggs, who scored 10, went 2-for-13, with eight of those misses coming from downtown. Orlando’s bench, meanwhile, totaled just 21 points.&nbsp;

The Cavs were without center Jarrett Allen for a third straight game with a right rib contusion. Caris LeVert, who’s been bothered by knee pain, came up big and had 15 points. Evan Mobley’s defense played a huge factor as well.

The Magic are now 2-2 all time in Game 7s. It’s also the third time they’ve been part of a playoff series where the home team won all the games. The others were in the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers and in the first round against the Heat in 1997, which was a best-of-five.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Although the loss is fresh, Mosley, Banchero and the rest of the team realize how much progress they made this season, and believe this playoff series against the Cavs will make them even stronger in the long run.

“After those first two games, everyone was looking at us like, oh I don’t know if they are ready and whatever. For us to take this to seven and then have a great first half (in Game 7), and then have them have to fight for every inch to get back in and beat us,” Banchero said. “It shows where we are headed. It shows what we were able to do this year by itself. It’s really encouraging for everybody – players, coaches, whole organization. We are really going to build off this.”

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Paolo Banchero's 38-Point Effort in Game 7

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Orlando Magic’s Season Ends With Game 7 Loss in Cleveland

ORLANDO - What’s made this Orlando Magic team so good all year is their willingness to do things by committee. Never is it just one guy, or even two guys dictating the outcome.&nbsp;

Sure, some nights the scoring has been carried by the team’s dynamic duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. But even in those games, others stepped up in other ways – like making a huge defensive stop, pulling down a critical rebound, or dishing out a key assist.&nbsp;

That collective approach was on full display down the stretch of Friday’s 103-96 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Kia Center that evened up their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.&nbsp;

With the score knotted up at 86 with under five minutes to play, we saw each and every Magic player that was on the floor deliver in one way or another. Jalen Suggs started it off with one of his six 3-pointers after the ball ricocheted his way following a missed shot. Banchero, following a Donovan Mitchell triple, nailed a three of his own to give the Magic the lead back. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Magic forward would go on to subsequently score another six of his team-high 27 points.&nbsp;

Also in that time, Wendell Carter Jr. had a huge block on Mitchell, Cole Anthony converted on a putback layup off a missed 3-pointer, and Jonathan Isaac, shortly after subbing in for Anthony, grabbed an offensive rebound with 33 seconds left that essentially sealed the win.&nbsp;

“I loved it. I loved our energy. I loved our poise,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We handled the runs. Our ability to stay the course, to stick with the gameplan, and not be discouraged – for a group that continues to gain experience, this is up there with it. To be able to force a Game 7 in this situation.”&nbsp;

What Orlando also did was overcome a Herculean performance from Mitchell, who exploded for 50 points on 22-of-36 floor shooting. It was only the 12th&nbsp;time in NBA history that a player scored 50-plus in a playoff loss. It was the second time for Mitchell, who scored 57 while playing for Utah in an overtime defeat to Denver in Game 1 of their first-round postseason series in the Disney bubble.&nbsp;

As they’ve done all series, the Magic did an excellent job defending perimeter shots. The Cavs made only seven of their 28 3-point attempts (25 percent).&nbsp;

Banchero, who has scored at least 20 in five of the six games this series, including erupting for over 30 twice, was one of four Magic players who scored in double figures in Friday’s victory. The others were Franz (26 points), Suggs (22 points) and Carter (11 points).

“All series long, we’ve done a great job of staying so poised,” Suggs said. “Anything they’ve done to try to throw us off our game and knock us off balance, we’ve responded to it, we’ve acknowledged it and we’ve faced it. We’ve stayed center and together. I think tonight was another example of that.”

With Gary Harris sidelined due to a right hamstring strain, Isaac got the start. Although he didn’t score, he compiled nine rebounds and a block.&nbsp;

For the second straight game, Cleveland was without Jarrett Allen (right rib contusion).&nbsp;

Darius Garland finished with 21 points for the Cavs, who led by nine in the third quarter. Max Strus had 10 points. 

Each team now with three wins in the series, a decisive Game 7 will take place in Cleveland on Sunday at 1 p.m. on ABC. The home team has won all six games. The Magic hope to change that narrative in Game 7.

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Game 6: Jamahl Mosley

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Orlando Magic Come Up Clutch Down the Stretch to Force Game 7

ORLANDO - Not many teams can say that their two best offensive players are also very good defenders. One of the few that can, however, are the Orlando Magic, who have been just as good defensively in their first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers as they were throughout the regular season.

Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have both been superb defensively in this series. They’ve each had spectacular offensive games as well – Banchero in Games 3 (31 points, five assists, zero turnovers) and 5 (39 points, four assists), particularly, and Wagner in Game 4 (34 points, four assists, zero turnovers). 

What they are doing defensively deserves more praise, though. Here’s some data to back that up:

There are 49 players so far in these playoffs who have contested at least 50 shots. Opponents have shot under 40 percent against just 15 of them. Among those 15 are Banchero and Wagner.

The Cavs are shooting just 28 percent on 50 attempts with Wagner as the nearest contesting defender, per Second Spectrum. The only other player with a defensive field goal percentage under 30 percent is Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., who appeared in just four of the Heat’s five games played against the Celtics.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Cleveland is shooting just 36.1 percent with Banchero contesting. That ranks ninth among those 49 qualified players.&nbsp;

Both being 6-foot-10 is a factor. When they have contested perimeter shots, which is something the Magic as a whole have done exceptionally well throughout this series, the Cavs have struggled mightily. With Wagner contesting, the Cavs are 4-of-25 (16 percent) from 3-point range. Against Banchero, they are 7-of-28 (25 percent).&nbsp;

None of this should come as a surprise, though. Both were very good defensively during the regular season, and, in many ways, got better on that end as the season went along.

“Franz throughout the year has just continued to improve defensively – willing to take on all challenges,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “When we go into that switch package, his ability to sit down and guard, his length, his timing, his basketball IQ – all of those things play a big factor in him becoming and continuing to grow into a great defender.”

“He’s a winner,” Mosley said of Banchero. “That’s who he is…He’s going to find whatever way necessary to help his team win – whether that’s scoring, rebounding, defending. Whatever that looks like, that’s the young man he is.”&nbsp;

The Magic, so far, have the second-best defensive rating (98.9) in these playoffs. Only the Thunder have a better mark.&nbsp;

The Cavs are shooting 43 percent overall and 28.7 percent from beyond the arc. They’re also averaging 14.4 turnovers, largely because of Orlando’s defensive pressure and intensity.&nbsp;

Those who were unfamiliar with how special of a duo Banchero and Wagner are prior to these playoffs are now certainly more aware.&nbsp;

“That’s why our teammates look to us to lead the guys – as we are supposed to step up in the biggest games, in the biggest moments,” Banchero said. “I don’t think either one of us felt like it was an out-of-body experience or anything. I think that’s just what we are here to do.”

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Game 5: Franz Wagner

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Game 5: Paolo Banchero

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Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner’s Defense Has Been Top-Notch in Playoff Series Against Cavs

CLEVELAND - Eventually, you had to figure, at least one of these games in this first-round playoff series between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers would come down to the wire. 

The Cavs in the first two games never trailed, while the Magic led at one point in Game 3 by 43 and in Game 4 by 30.&nbsp;

The outcome of Game 5, however, was up in the air until the final seconds.

Despite a Herculean effort by Paolo Banchero, who erupted for 39 points, the Magic were unable to hold off the Cavs in the final moments in a 104-103 defeat at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Tuesday night.

Evan Mobley made the game’s biggest plays. First, with 1:43 left, he put Cleveland in front with a dunk. Then, with 40 seconds remaining, his layup extended the Cavs’ lead to four. Finally, with Cleveland up just two, he blocked Franz Wagner’s potential game-tying layup attempt in the final seconds.&nbsp;

“I thought he did a great job getting to the basket,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said of that shot attempt from Wagner. “Mobley made a hell of a play with the block at the rim. With pace, we went down with speed. He had gotten an opportunity. Mobley made a hell of a play on the ball.”&nbsp;

Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 28 points, knocked down a pair of free throws subsequently to seal it.&nbsp;

The game was a seesaw battle most of the way. There were 17 lead changes. The Cavs led by 10 early and the Magic’s largest lead was three.&nbsp;

Three-point shooting was again an issue for the Magic in this arena. After going 8-for-37 from beyond the arc in Game 1 and 9-for-35 in Game 2, Orlando went 9-for-31 in Game 5.&nbsp;

Cleveland also took advantage of Orlando’s mistakes, scoring 17 points off the Magic’s turnovers.&nbsp;

The Cavs were forced to roll out a smaller starting lineup because of the absence of Jarrett Allen, who was unable to go because of a right rib contusion. Cleveland slid Mobley to center and Isaac Okoro got the start alongside Mitchell, Darius Garland and Max Strus. Gary Harris, meanwhile, left the game early for the Magic with a right hamstring strain.

Banchero had an all-around stellar performance, making 14 of his 24 floor shots, including four of his seven 3-pointers, to go along with grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists. Franz finished with 14 points, five rebounds and six assists, while Jalen Suggs had 13 points.&nbsp;

“I just wanted to be aggressive, hunt my shots and make the shots that I take,” Banchero said. “I think I got a little fatigued at the end. I think Mobley did a good job of kind of playing in between to where he was still able to contest but (also) waiting for the drive. It was tough. There are a couple possessions where I wish I could have back.”

Garland posted 23 points for the Cavs, while Strus scored 16 and Mobley had 14 points and 13 rebounds.

The Magic will look to even up this best-of-seven series when they host Game 6 on Friday at Kia Center. If a Game 7 is necessary, it will take place back in Cleveland on Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Orlando Magic Lose Heartbreaker in Game 5 to Cleveland Cavaliers

CLEVELAND - The No. 1 curiosity right now going into Game 5 of this first-round playoff matchup between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers is how many times in the NBA a team has overcome a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.  

Well, it’s happened 27 times out of 342 such occurrences, per Land of Basketball.&nbsp;Including the Magic-Cavs series, there are four series currently going on that started 2-0.&nbsp;

Just in the last three seasons alone, six times a team overcame a 2-0 series deficit. Last year, the Golden State Warriors eliminated the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the postseason after going down 0-2. In 2022, the Dallas Mavericks did the same against the Phoenix Suns in the conference semifinals.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Of those 27 total times, five were such where the team that won the series lost the first two games at home. Most recently that happened in 2021 when the Clippers lost the first two games in L.A. to the Mavs before claiming the series in seven games.&nbsp;

Also, 14 times the series ended in six games and 13 times it ended in seven – so just about a 50/50 split. The Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals against the Suns were the last team to win a series in six games after trailing 0-2.&nbsp;

Best-of-five series existed prior to the 2003 season. If you include those, there have been 33 series victories by teams that fell behind 0-2.

All four games of this current Magic-Cavs series have been decided by at least 10 points. By winning Game 3 by 38, the third-largest margin of victory in Orlando postseason history, and Game 4 by 23, the Magic became the first NBA team ever to win Games 3 and 4 by a combined 60-plus points after trailing the series 0-2.&nbsp;

In the second half of Game 4, Orlando held Cleveland to 29 points, tied for the fewest allowed after halftime in Magic playoff history.&nbsp;

Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have already done something this series that hadn’t been done by a Magic pair since the mid-90s. With Banchero scoring 31 in Game 3 and Wagner scoring 34 in Game 4, they became the first Magic duo since Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal in 1996 to each have 30-plus points in consecutive postseason games.

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Magic Practice: Jamahl Mosley (4/29)

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Orlando Magic Looking to Become Latest Team to Win Playoff Series After Trailing 0-2

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Due to Tropical Storm Nicole, the NBA has announced that the Dallas Mavericks at Orlando Magic game on Wednesday, November 9 will tip-off at 5:30 PM. Amway Center doors open at 4:30 PM.