2024 NBA Playoffs - East 1st Round: #4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #5 Orlando Magic (CLE WINS 4-3)

[Residual-Heat]

pretty much what i expected in these young guys first play off game.

You see why ive been saying this ends in 5. The Magic had a chance to improve their team at the deadline to be competitive in the play offs, but sat on their hands. There are dozens of guards in the league that couldve made a difference. It cannot get any easier than finding a guard that fits. They can get a combo guard/SG/PG and itll work. They chose not to make a move when every Magic fan wanted them to do something. They better make up for that mistake in the offseason by getting a really good guard.

[Lakers In 5]

Still expect this to be a 6-7 game series. 1 game doesn’t say a whole lot. Cavs took care of business, expect things to be more competitive as the series goes on.

I got the exact opposite feeling and think this will be over in 5. I wasn't overly impressed with Cleveland and they had a ton of turnovers that were just down to blatant lack of concentration, but they were comfortably the better team the entire game sans the first five minutes of Q3. Orlando unfortunately doesn't have the offense to hang with Cleveland for 48 minutes.

It's Game 1? There's no way you're saying you've learned everything from this game when it's the first game our 22 and 21 year olds just played their very first playoff game in a hostile enviorment. I came away even more confident in the Magic.

The Magic are by far the worst shooting team in these playoffs, even worse than the 39-43 Bulls. This isn't some major analysis based on the past game, it's a confirmation of what we have seen all year.

[The Real Dalic]

Magic 8-37 from deep and 19-30 from the charity stripe. Not gonna win games like that.

Still a lot of series left but i hope the whistle is more even in game 2, that much of a free throw disparity for the home team is absurd.

The Magic attack the basket and take on the contact better than most teams. The free throw disparity should favor the Magic.

[Residual-Heat]

as for people comparing FT attempts. Keep in mind the Magic are 1st in the league in FTAs and the Cavs are 24th.

[The Real Dalic]

I got the exact opposite feeling and think this will be over in 5. I wasn't overly impressed with Cleveland and they had a ton of turnovers that were just down to blatant lack of concentration, but they were comfortably the better team the entire game sans the first five minutes of Q3. Orlando unfortunately doesn't have the offense to hang with Cleveland for 48 minutes.

It's Game 1? There's no way you're saying you've learned everything from this game when it's the first game our 22 and 21 year olds just played their very first playoff game in a hostile enviorment. I came away even more confident in the Magic.

The Magic are by far the worst shooting team in these playoffs, even worse than the 39-43 Bulls. This isn't some major analysis based on the past game, it's a confirmation of what we have seen all year.

Sure, but they're not 32% from the floor bad either. We've known the Magic can't shoot forever and still the won only 1 fewer game then the Cavs because the defense is so elite. The Magic could win this series even if the shot it only around 41% from the floor. Which is still bad.

[Swish1906]

Magic guard rotation went 4-33 while dishing out five assists

Magic won’t go anywhere until they fix their crappy backcourt

[ORLMagicGirl15]

Now we get to see NBA-level play... switching to Phx vs Min

Why do you guys do this? We get it, you guys don't like defensive minded playoff games but for both the Cavs and Magic fans, these are our teams we are rooting for. You guys don't have to be rude about it.

[JujitsuFlip]

Magic 8-37 from deep and 19-30 from the charity stripe. Not gonna win games like that.

Still a lot of series left but i hope the whistle is more even in game 2, that much of a free throw disparity for the home team is absurd.

The Magic attack the basket and take on the contact better than most teams. The free throw disparity should favor the Magic.

Regardless, the next crew needs a more consistent whistle. I don't think any of the guys knew what would and would not be called a foul.

[jkvonny]

Final score.
97-83. Cavs over Magic. Game 1

That's some '90s, early '00s scoring right there!

[DaGawd]

still not impressed with the cavs after this performance

Lol let it go man it's been over a year.

it’s just my honest assessment as a fan. no malice intended

[JJ_PR]

The Cavs are 17-1 on 7 game series when winning game 1. I didn't know that stat.

The Magic lack offensive firepower, & their defense is suspect.

[Lakers In 5]

It's Game 1? There's no way you're saying you've learned everything from this game when it's the first game our 22 and 21 year olds just played their very first playoff game in a hostile enviorment. I came away even more confident in the Magic.

The Magic are by far the worst shooting team in these playoffs, even worse than the 39-43 Bulls. This isn't some major analysis based on the past game, it's a confirmation of what we have seen all year.

Sure, but they're not 32% from the floor bad either. We've known the Magic can't shoot forever and still the won only 1 fewer game then the Cavs because the defense is so elite. The Magic could win this series even if the shot it only around 41% from the floor. Which is still bad.

That is entirely the point though, because shooting is what is likely going to decide this series due to both teams being elite on defense. Hence my earlier comment of Orlando not having the offense to keep up with Cleveland. Don't forget Cleveland was the #2 seed for a very long time this season before injuries started piling up.

[Magiclee]

The Cavs are 17-1 on 7 game series when winning game 1. I didn't know that stat.

The Magic lack offensive firepower, & their defense is suspect.

People will just say anything on the Internet...

[Blacksheep25]

My elderly neighbor loves Bic Macs. He’s 88. He can’t use an iphone, doesn’t even have one, so he asked me one day if I’d download the McDonalds app one of his grandkids told him about.

He probably has $5 million in the bank, but he wants his free Big Mac if Cavs score a 100. I had to ask his kids if they cared as 100 in the NBA is every other day and they laughed and said go ahead he’s 88.

I felt like I was betraying him by asking, but I was worried about being mentioned at the eventual funeral when his heart gives out.

It grew to be a huge pain in the ass when they went on that winning streak. I’d be on a call and he’d be calling me by the end of the 3rd quarter excited about them scoring a 100 already.

His wife has passed and he’d be offended if I bought him a $100 gift card because they guy has $, barely drives, and it’s just more about the excitement of winning something. As someone who can’t watch a regular season game without a bet on it, I got it. This is his draftkings.

But I have to say, on the weekend, I was pretty excited when Donovan missed that 3 with :50 left sitting at 97. I felt bad for feeling happy, but damn if I wasn’t happy.

[The Real Dalic]

Now we get to see NBA-level play... switching to Phx vs Min

Why do you guys do this? We get it, you guys don't like defensive minded playoff games but for both the Cavs and Magic fans, these are our teams we are rooting for. You guys don't have to be rude about it.

I was told at the start of this thread that it wasn't hate.

[The Real Dalic]

The Cavs are 17-1 on 7 game series when winning game 1. I didn't know that stat.

The Magic lack offensive firepower, & their defense is suspect.

Ummm, what? This is the first game you've seen the Magic play for sure. Number 1 in defense since the All-Star break. Top 3 throughout the entire season. People can't just talk without learning things. It makes them look bad.

[Vampirate]

It's Game 1? There's no way you're saying you've learned everything from this game when it's the first game our 22 and 21 year olds just played their very first playoff game in a hostile enviorment. I came away even more confident in the Magic.

The Magic are by far the worst shooting team in these playoffs, even worse than the 39-43 Bulls. This isn't some major analysis based on the past game, it's a confirmation of what we have seen all year.

Sure, but they're not 32% from the floor bad either. We've known the Magic can't shoot forever and still the won only 1 fewer game then the Cavs because the defense is so elite. The Magic could win this series even if the shot it only around 41% from the floor. Which is still bad.

The playoffs are notorious for 'exposing' teams weaknesses.

Essentially they make your weakness much worse because of all the film dedicated to make you fail.


The Cavs have the more seasoned team with the more dependable first option (in retrospect to where the players are in their careers).

Donovan in this series is most likely getting his and is more seasoned and much less likely to do things like turning the ball over 9 times, shoot 50% because he's been here.

Mobley and Allen want to shake off what happened last year so they are probably more dialed in.

Also if the Magic can shoot better so can Garland.


The truth is you don't have a playoff reliable 2nd option for the first round this year and Suggs is probably a 4th or 5th option (playoff wise) at this point in his career.

[Shock Defeat]

These two teams have no shot to advance to the conference finals

[The Real Dalic]

The Magic are by far the worst shooting team in these playoffs, even worse than the 39-43 Bulls. This isn't some major analysis based on the past game, it's a confirmation of what we have seen all year.

Sure, but they're not 32% from the floor bad either. We've known the Magic can't shoot forever and still the won only 1 fewer game then the Cavs because the defense is so elite. The Magic could win this series even if the shot it only around 41% from the floor. Which is still bad.

That is entirely the point though, because shooting is what is likely going to decide this series due to both teams being elite on defense. Hence my earlier comment of Orlando not having the offense to keep up with Cleveland. Don't forget Cleveland was the #2 seed for a very long time this season before injuries started piling up.

Cleveland definitely has the slightly better offense thanks to their 2 guards. But the Magic's defense is at an elite level. The Cavs have a great defense, but the Magic don't have holes defensively outside of Anthony.

The Cavs gameplan is to force Orlando to shoot wide open jumpers. We may see one more game throughout this series where they shoot it this poorly, but I would be (and hope) not 32% from the floor poorly. That's pretty unrealistic, imo.

[The Real Dalic]

These two teams have no shot to advance to the conference finals

Thanks for your input. No duh. The winner faces the Celtics.