Watching the Market for Cavaliers vs. Magic Game 2
Orlando’s offensive woes continued while the Cavaliers continued to keep rolling as they rolled to an early 2-0 lead in the series
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Mitchell’s momentum
Donovan Mitchell has put the last postseason behind him and has made his presence felt early in the series against Orlando.
Mitchell picked right up from his 30-point Game 1 performance with another strong showing scoring, 23 on 9-23 shooting. From the middle of the third quarter on it became clear the Cavaliers were not going to let up on this game causing Orlando to play desperate.
Mitchell with every game looks more and more like the player we saw pre-knee injury. Showing a burst and coming out strong in the first quarter of both games thus far in the series. These types of performances early feel crushing for a Magic team where offensive possessions seem laborious and seamless for the likes of Mitchell.
Cavaliers gambling on Orlando’s perimeter woes
It appeared after Game 1 that the Cavaliers planned to force the Magic to beat them from the perimeter. After their 8-37 debut in game one, the Magic seemed to have immense faith in their shooters.
The Magic opened up game two by firing away from the three-point line. The Magic started the game shooting 1-11 from three to start the game. Throughout Game 2, it felt like a rinse and repeat of Game 1 where the Cavaliers were more than willing to dare Orlando to fire away and live with the consequences. Orlando finished the game shooting 9-35 from deep, and it never felt like they had something going on shooting-wise.
The Magic might have a game or two in this series when their shots fall. But it’s hard to see them winning based on how they shoot from three most of the time.
Okoro playing himself into the playoff rotation
In the past, Isaac Okoro was a playoff concern because of his play. That appears to have changed.
Through two games against the Magic, Okoro’s has shown improved play, Okoro, especially in Game 2, showed his value by scoring eight points himself in two minutes late in the second quarter. Okoro finished the game with 10 points on 4-8 shooting and tied a team-high +12 in plus or minus. Okoro showed signs of growth offensively throughout the season but seeing it translate to postseason play is a huge leap for a player looking for an extension.
The Cavaliers creating second chances
A key to the Cavaliers’ success through two games is their tenacity to grab offensive boards against one of the strongest rebounding teams in the league. The Cavaliers won the rebounding battle in game two 48-41 with a +4 advantage in the offensive rebounding battle.
Those offensive boards have paid dividends for the Cavaliers in generating second-chance opportunities winning that battle 18-9. In a low-scoring series like this one, every point counts, and the Cavaliers are capitalizing on those opportunities.