For a span of 24 minutes on Saturday afternoon, it seemed like Cleveland was poised to dominate the series. Led by Donovan Mitchell, who scored 18 points in the first half, and supported by Jarrett Allen’s impactful play with 16 points, the Cavaliers held a nine-point lead on the road at halftime, appearing to have control of the game.
However, the dynamics swiftly changed. Orlando’s stellar defense coupled with Cleveland’s cold shooting turned the tide. The Cavaliers managed only 10 points in the third quarter and a total of 29 points in the entire second half. Mitchell struggled with 0-of-4 shooting, and the team as a whole shot 36.4% from the field and 2-of-10 from beyond the arc in the second half. With nine turnovers added to the mix, Orlando capitalized on these missed opportunities, capitalizing on fast breaks for easy scores.
Franz Wagner capitalized on Cleveland’s struggles, scoring 10 points within the first five minutes of the third quarter, equaling the Cavaliers’ total points for that period. Wagner finished with an impressive 34 points and 13 rebounds for the game.
