The NBA playoffs are right around the corner and the middle of the Eastern Conference is a jumble when it comes to how some teams will be seeded.
Two teams that are in the thick of this seeding jumble are the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers, leading to a possible first-round matchup in the playoffs.
After Friday's games, the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks each trail the Cleveland Cavaliers by one game, creating the possibility for the two teams to meet in the first round.
The Cavaliers and Magic met four times this season and the two teams split the season series with two wins a piece. Each team got a win in both arenas as well, making for a possibly tight and even playoff series if it came down to it.
Of course there were injuries on both sides during these games as there are right now in the final week of the season.
For Cleveland, forward Dean Wade is currently suffering from a knee sprain with his future this season unknown. That is key since Wade is a solid three-point shooter off of the bench on a team that is only in the middle of the NBA (16th) in three-point shooting as a team.
Evan Mobley did not play in two of the games the Cavs had against the Magic and Darius Garland missed a game as well. But, the Magic did see all of the Cleveland players at some point or another during their four games this season. And both teams got their licks in with each recording a blowout win.
So, here are three keys to an Orlando-Cleveland first round playoff series if it were to happen.
3 Keys to an Orlando Magic Playoff Series with the Cleveland Cavaliers
What Offense will Step Up More?
The Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are two teams that depend upon their defense for their success. As for their offenses, they both rank in the bottom half of the league in efficiency at 23rd (the Magic at 113.0 points per 100 possessions) and 16th (the Cavs at 114.8) respectively. So the question becomes, which offense can pick up the slack down the stretch?
The two wins the Cavaliers had were marked with 120-plus point performances. This came on shooting nights where they were better than 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point land. On Jan. 22 in particular, they shot an astonishing 52.6 percent from three and took 38 three-pointers. If they can repeat that kind of success, they will be a hard team to stop for the Magic.
On the flipside, the Magic also had a hot three-point shooting night on Feb. 22 as the Cavs did a month before. They went 56 percent from behind the arc while taking 25 shots. Their field goal rate in both wins was 45-plus percent.
The Cavaliers should have that edge. But their offense has struggled since Donovan Mitchell left the lineup with a knee injury on March 1, the Cavs have an offensive rating of 111.6 points per 100 possessions. His return has not helped matters much as the Cavs have struggled going 8-11 during that stretch.
So, the big question is can either of these highly defensive teams get their own offenses going at the right time. Depending upon who does, that team could come out on top in this series.
3 Keys to an Orlando Magic Playoff Series with the Cleveland Cavaliers
Points in the paint makes for a strong foundation
The Orlando Magic are a top-10 team in the NBA in points in the paint per game, scoring 51.8 per game. This was put on display in the four games against the Cleveland Cavaliers this season as they were able to get 45-plus points in the paint in three of the four games they played.
The Cavs did not have Evan Mobley and his rim protection for some of these games. But the Magic have been effective in the paint like this all season. Even against rim protectors like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
The Magic's two go-to guys on offense, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, average 9.9 and 11.5 points in the paint themselves to contribute to Orlando's 51.8 points in the paint per game total.
The Cavs though rely on defending the paint. They are fifth in the league giving up 46.5 points in the paint per game. this is the battle where this series will undoubtedly be won.
The Cavs won the battle between them and the magic with points in the paint for two games this season. But they rank 16th in points in the paint per game which is decently lower than the Magic.
This gives Orlando a chance to anchor themselves and their offense down against Cleveland.
3 Keys to an Orlando Magic Playoff Series with the Cleveland Cavaliers
Bench Players can give the Orlando Magic a lift
The Orlando Magic have grown to have one of the best benches in the NBA and they have been key in the four games the Magic have played the Cleveland Cavaliers. It can be either the entire bench unit or as little as one player, but someone has always come out and made an impact early and often.
Moe Wagner has been someone who has stood out with the sheer amount of shots he takes in each contest. In the four games versus Cleveland, he took at least seven shots in all the games and finished with 22 and 15 points in two of those games.
On Feb. 22, the night Moe Wagner had 22 off the bench, his fellow bench players Cole Anthony and Joe Ingles had a combined 25 points on a combined 10-for-12 shooting.
If Orlando can continue to keep Cleveland on its toes and get the team's bench going while some of its main scorers are out. It would be huge for the team.
Offense would be the name of the game in this series as these two teams are built around their defenses. That is why they are where they are today. So many facets of Orlando's offense will be the reason a playoff series win over the Cavaliers may be possible.