Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, right, hugs teammate Donovan Mitchell (45) after hitting a 3-point basket in the second half of Game 7 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic on May 5 in Cleveland.Sue Ogrocki/The Associated Press
Donovan Mitchell scored 39 points, Caris LeVert added 15 and the Cleveland Cavaliers avoided a potentially franchise-shifting loss by rallying for a 106-94 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday in Game 7 to advance in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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 may 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-fast Orlando team whose playoff inexperience showed in the second half.
Evan Mobley grabbed 16 rebounds and Darius Garland hit a critical three-pointer in the fourth for Cleveland, which won its first playoff series without LeBron James since 1993.
The Cavs will now begin the second round on the road against the top-seeded and well-rested Boston Celtics in Game 1 on Tuesday.
In the closing minutes, Cleveland’s towel-waving crowd chanted “We want Boston!” – a matchup that didn’t look likely an hour earlier.
Paolo Banchero scored 38 – just 14 after halftime – and added 16 rebounds to lead the Magic, who grew up in the series but couldn’t figure out how to win in Cleveland as both teams held serve on their floors.
The Cavs trailed by 18 in the first half and seemed on the verge of an early summer.
But with LeVert and Sam Merrill providing a spark, Cleveland was able to cut into Orlando’s lead. Cleveland missed its first nine three-pointers and was in big trouble down 47-39.
The offensive woes that plagued Cleveland in the fourth quarter of Game 6 – when Mitchell scored all 18 points for the Cavs – carried over.
There was too much standing around, bad shots and turnovers, and when the Magic reeled off 13 straight to open a 10-point lead, Cleveland’s crowd let the Cavs know it with more than a smattering of boos.
But in the end, as Mitchell dribbled out the final seconds all was forgotten.
Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 99
DENVER Anthony Edwards’ decision-making was as spot-on as his shot-making. When he drew a crowd, he passed. When he was open, he shot – and usually swished. Edwards scored a playoff career-high – and franchise postseason-record – 43 points, Naz Reid had 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets 106-99 in Game 1 of the second-round series Saturday night. Edwards was unstoppable in the first half, scoring 25 points, and Reid took over in the fourth quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points despite dealing with foul trouble. The Timberwolves shot a blistering 71.1 per cent from the floor in the second half. “The whole team, we trust each other,” said Edwards, who was 17 of 29 from the floor as he posted his third career playoff game with 40 or more points. “It doesn’t matter down the stretch who takes the shot.” Game 2 is Monday night in Denver.