Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: Can Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers Start Hot in Game 5?
Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: Can Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers Start Hot in Game 5?
The Orlando Magic are back on the road after winning both games at home to play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fifth game of the first round of the NBA playoffs from Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The home team has won every game in the series so far, with the series all knotted up at 2–2. The books are expecting another Cavaliers home win, as they are five-point favorites to take care of the Magic tonight.
MAGIC VS. CAVALIERS GAME 5 DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: April 30, 2024
- Start Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: NBA TV
ORLANDO MAGIC VS. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS GAME 5 PREDICTION
This series has been nothing new for the Magic. The Magic had the most deferring home versus road split of any team in the playoffs this year except for the Bucks. The Magic went 29–12 at home this season and 18–23 on the road. They have the worst road record of any team in the playoffs this year. That definitely followed them into the postseason, as they dropped Game 1 by 14 points and Game 2 by 10 points.
The magic shot unbelievably bad in the first two games of this series, shooting 32% from the field in Game 1 and 36% from the field in Game 2. They also got out-rebounded in both games. However, when the series flipped back to Orlando, They turned it up. They shot 51% from the field in Game 3, winning by 38 points, followed by Game 4 in which they shot 55% from the field and 46% from three in a 23-point win. With the series returning to Cleveland, I like the home teams winning to stay a trend here. However, I am going with the first half, as the Magic have really struggled to settle into games on the road. Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers have been a very strong first-half team all season, and I like their defense to lock back in early after two poor defensive outings on the road in Games 3 and 4. The Magic have been shooting well above their means, and I think they come back down to earth on the road, as they have shot worse on the road all season. Back the Cavaliers to be up in the first half, and probably win the full game, with the series going back to Orlando with a chance to force a Game 7.
ORLANDO MAGIC VS. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS GAME 5 Pick
Pick: Cavaliers First Half -3 -110 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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Article Author
Ben Rajavuori is a handicapper out of Minneapolis, MN. He has been creating sports content for almost four years now and is an expert in all things NFL, MLB, NBA, UFC, and NCAAB. Ben thrives on diving deep into statistics to find the best angle on every bet. You can follow him on Twitter @WeBeatTheSpread.