'We were right there': Orlando Magic filled with regrets after Game 5 defeat

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CLEVELAND — The 2023-24 Orlando Magic may never have a better opportunity than the one that slipped from their grasp Tuesday night.

That's the misery of it.

They entered Game 5 flush with momentum, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, fresh off two blowout losses, did not have starting center Jarrett Allen because of an injury. If the Magic had won Tuesday, if only one or two possessions here and there had gone their way, they would have returned to Orlando with the chance to end this first-round playoff series Friday night on their home court.

If. If. If.

There are so many "ifs" after the Magic lost to the Cavaliers 104-103 following a Herculean performance by Paolo Banchero, another subpar 3-point shooting night by the team and a great clutch defensive play by Cleveland's Evan Mobley.

Now Orlando sits one defeat from elimination.

"We didn't get this one," Banchero said. "It sucks. We were right there. But we can't dwell on it. You've got to just look at what we could do better, what we didn't do as well and then come out on Friday and be ready to go, because we're not ready to go home (for the offseason)."

Not replaying the game in their minds will be difficult, because there's so much to regret: falling behind by 10 points in the first quarter, missing seven of 29 free throws and, above all else, not taking advantage of Allen's absence.

Allen bruised his right ribs on Saturday, but instead of adding him to their injury report Monday night or Tuesday morning, the Cavaliers waited until Tuesday afternoon, giving the Magic less time to prepare. With Allen out, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff went with a smaller starting lineup, subbing in wing Isaac Okoro to replace Allen. Although Cleveland lost Allen's shot blocking and rebounding, Cleveland enhanced its ability to push the tempo and attack before Orlando could set its half-court defense.

"A completely different game," the Magic's Franz Wagner said. "They just played with one big. They have more shooting and (are) a little smaller, obviously, so I think it changes how they play and how we have to defend them."

There was reason for concern. In January, with Mobley recovering from knee surgery, the Cavaliers crushed the Magic 126-99 in Orlando behind lights-out 3-point shooting from Sam Merrill, Dean Wade and Max Strus, who combined to make 13 of 21 from long range.

In Game 5, Cleveland posted its best 3-point performance of the series, hitting 13 of its 37 attempts (35 percent).

Orlando had no such luck. Its long-range shooting woes inside Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse continued, notching only nine makes in 31 attempts.

The lone Magic player to excel offensively was Banchero. The All-Star forward turned in a masterpiece in which he scored 27 of his game-high 39 points in the second half, mixing his trademark midrange jumpers with key makes from deep.

He did not receive enough support from his fellow starters, though. Wagner and Jalen Suggs struggled, and Gary Harris didn't score a point in his 19 minutes before exiting the game with a right hamstring strain.

Banchero wasn't perfect. He continued to have problems with turnovers, accounting for five of Orlando's 14 giveaways. With the Magic trailing 99-98 with 1:31 remaining, he launched a stepback jumper from 30 feet even though 12 seconds remained on the shot clock, and Mobley, with his long arms, was close enough to contest the shot. The ball clanked off the front of the rim.

"I think I got a little fatigued at the end," Banchero said. "I think Mobley, he did a good job of kind of playing in between to where he was close enough to still contest but (was) kind of waiting for the drive. It was tough.

"I think I had a couple possessions I wish I could've had back."

Orlando still had its chances late. Down 102-100, the Magic forced a miss by Donovan Mitchell from the left elbow with 17 seconds remaining. Ten seconds later, Wagner drove down the left edge of the lane against Mobley and elevated for a right-handed layup that Mobley cleanly blocked. If Wagner had attempted a shot with his left hand, Mobley may not have swatted the ball. If Wagner had attempted a dunk, he may have drawn a shooting foul against Mobley or scored — or both.

During Games 3 and 4 in Orlando, Wagner and Banchero made plenty of shots with Mobley as the primary defender, despite Mobley's reputation as a difference-maker on defense.

Tuesday, however, Mobley made one of the most important plays of the series.

"It was a big-time play," Mobley said. "The game was on the line. I just went for it. I knew he was going to go for the layup. I feel like that's his game."

Wagner added: "I was able to get downhill. Not the best decision … but he made a good play."

The Magic still can lean on some positives. They will return home to Kia Center, where they compiled a 29-12 regular-season record and then clobbered the Cavs 121-83 in Game 3 and won 112-89 in Game 4.

If nothing else, Game 5 demonstrated the Magic can play a close game on the road in the playoffs. That's reason for optimism for a potential Game 7, which, if necessary, would be played Sunday.

From that lens, winning two games in a row doesn't seem insurmountable.

"I'm riding with this team no matter who it is in front of us," Wendell Carter Jr. said in the Magic's mostly silent postgame locker room. "I believe that we can beat any team in this league, so I'm riding with my guys. I feel like we can win two in a row, for sure. It won't be easy, but I think we can do it."

If nothing else, the first five games of the series have shown that the first round is there for the Magic's taking. But it would've been so much easier if they could have squeaked out Game 5.

If. If. If.

(Top photo of Paolo Banchero and Isaac Okoro: Ken Blaze / USA Today)