Donovan Mitchell had 39 points and led a second-half charge as the Cavs overcame an 18-point deficit to beat the Magic in Game 7.
The Cavs trailed by 18 in the first half and were in danger of being knocked out in the first round for the second year in a row -- a scenario that might have led to firings.
But Mitchell, who scored 50 in a Game 6 loss at Orlando and has been battling a left knee injury for months, put the Cavs on his back. He carried them past an up-and-coming Orlando team whose playoff inexperience showed in the second half.The Cavs' 18-point deficit is the largest for a winning team in a Game 7 since at least 1997, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Down by 10 at halftime, Cleveland raised its defensive intensity in the third quarter and outscoring Orlando 33-15. The Magic went just 4-of-24 from the field in the period and seemed hesitant while waiting for Banchero to do more. The Cavs were up 85-77 in the fourth when Garland, who showed frustration earlier in the half before getting a pep talk on the bench from Mitchell, drained a 3-pointer from the corner to put Cleveland up 11.
After his shot dropped and Orlando called a timeout, a relieved Garland hugged Mitchell, who was acquired in a trade two years ago from Utah to try to get Cleveland closer to another championship.Before he got hurt, Allen was Cleveland's most consistent player against the Magic, grabbing 20 rebounds in Game 2 while giving the Cavs a defensive presence underneath to at least deter Orlando drives.
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