ORLANDO – The friendly confines of Amway Center have been good to the Orlando Magic this season.
They are 10-1 during their 2023-24 campaign when playing in their home arena and have won eight straight contests in Orlando.
The Magic (15-7) look to keep cooking at home when they welcome in the Cleveland Cavaliers (13-9) on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.
“We’ve got to protect the home court,” said Magic guard Cole Anthony, who leads the league in total bench points scored this season. “This is our base of operations. We have to do whatever we can to not let teams walk in here and feel comfortable.”
Orlando will aim to have a better performance against Cleveland than it did in their road matchup just two games ago. In that outing, the Cavaliers emerged with a 121-111 victory despite a career-high 42-point showing from Magic forward Paolo Banchero.
In that contest, Cleveland held Orlando to an 8.7 percent shooting performance from beyond the arc (2-for-23), scored 20 points off the Magic’s 11 turnovers, grabbed 10 offensive rebounds, and scored 19 second chance points.
“We have to pressure more on defense and get back to what we do on the defensive side of the ball,” said Magic point guard Anthony Black. “Offensive rebounds, I feel like (are a big key). Then, our focus level on the offensive side.”
Orlando’s defensive game plan will start with limiting Cleveland’s potent backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. Mitchell is averaging 27.6 points per contest – ninth most in the association – while Garland is posting 19.6 points and 6.1 assists per game.
“We have to get out to a better start,” said Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley. “The other part is our ball pressure needs to be turned up. We need to do a better job on Donovan Mitchell defensively.”
IN AND OUT: Jonathan Isaac (right ankle; sprain) will be available for this matchup, while Jalen Suggs (right ankle; strain) will be a game-time decision. Wendell Carter Jr. (left hand; fractured third metacarpal), Markelle Fultz (left knee tendinitis), Kevon Harris (coach’s decision) and Trevelin Queen (G League – Two-Way) are out for Orlando.
For Cleveland, Emoni Bates (G League – Two-Way), Ty Jerome (right ankle; sprain), Caris LeVert (left knee; injury management), Evan Mobley (left knee; soreness), and Ricky Rubio (not with team) are out.
KEY STATS: The Magic handed the Pistons a 123-91 loss on Friday. It was Orlando’s largest margin of victory all-time against Detroit. The Magic’s previous largest win over the Pistons was 30 points, set on April 9, 2012 in Orlando (119-89).
QUOTE TO NOTE: “That victory was good, especially in front of our home crowd. It was nice to get a win like that. I think it was good for our team’s confidence, especially on the defensive end … It was a good reset.” – Anthony on the Magic’s triumph over the Pistons