OMD Roundtable: Keys to the Series & Staff Predictions
Spencer Henderson: Star vs. Star
At the end of the day, this first-round series featuring the Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers will come down to two questions: Will Paolo Banchero cancel out Donovan Mitchell? And will Franz Wagner cancel out Darius Garland?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then the Magic will win this series in six games. The Magic’s bench has been underrated all year. They are top four in bench points per game right beneath the Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors. The Cavaliers' bench is middle of the pack and sits at 15th in the NBA.
The Magic this year averaged 41.5 points per game off the bench. Teams tend to tighten their rotation in the postseason and that will raise questions.
Will that mean Jonathan Isaac joins the starting lineup? It certainly should mean that he will play more considering his impact on the team defensively.
Will the Magic be able to sustain playing the smaller Cole Anthony or the more immobile Joe Ingles? Losing either of them would gut the Magic's offensive attack that the bench provides over the starters.
Depth is the Magic's advantage. But teams do not rely on their depth as much during the Playoffs.
The Magic’s bench will be the deciding factor in this series unless coach Jamahl Mosely changes it up for the Playoffs and only plays eight guys. If the coaching staff is creative and they allow their role players to get minutes and contribute then the Magic will win the series in six.