Jan 23, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket towards Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder (17) throughout the second half at Rocket Area. Necessary Credit score: Ken Blaze-Imagn Pictures Orlando Magic energy ahead Paulo Banchero could not include his frustration any longer. Two decisive house losses to the Charlotte Hornets in lower than a month pushed him over the sting.
The Magic will try and bounce again on Saturday after they host the surging Cleveland Cavaliers within the first half of a home-and-home set.
Banchero had workforce highs of 23 factors, seven rebounds and 5 assists on Thursday as Orlando was drubbed at house by the Hornets 124-97. Charlotte led by 33 factors in coasting to the victory.
“They simply got here out and jumped on us, and we let the sport get away from us,” Banchero mentioned. “They actually kicked our (butts) for positive. Once you see one thing trending a sure approach, you have to change that — and we have not.”
Taking pictures guard Desmond Bane, the Magic’s key offseason acquisition, had 21 factors, however the different three members of their beginning lineup mixed for simply 11 and missed 18 of their 22 field-goal makes an attempt in 67 minutes.
Although Orlando comfortably is sitting in a play-in event place, Charlotte has the fourth-worst file within the Japanese Convention. The Hornets rolled to a 120-105 win on Dec. 26 in the identical enviornment.
“The identical factor occurred a pair weeks in the past towards Charlotte,” Banchero mentioned. “We bought down huge early and so they blew us out. It might’t proceed to be like this.”
Nerves had been frayed all through the Magic roster when the workforce returned house from two worldwide video games, splitting two video games with the Memphis Grizzlies from Jan. 15-18.
Orlando rallied from a 20-point deficit in a 118-111 win in Berlin, then misplaced 126-109 in London. Franz Wagner returned from a six-week absence with a excessive ankle sprain within the first contest, however won’t play towards Cleveland.
Banchero, who’s averaging 21.0 factors and eight.7 rebounds, anticipated the Magic to take a step ahead this season after they had been eradicated within the first spherical of the playoffs in 2024 and 2025.
“Final yr wasn’t an important season, we had a variety of robust instances,” he mentioned. “It is one thing that is occurred again and again the previous couple of seasons. The unhappy factor is it is occurring once more. And now, our protection is slumping, which makes it even worse.”
The Cavaliers lastly are hitting their stride, profitable 9 of their 13 video games since Dec. 29 to maneuver up from eighth to fifth place within the Japanese Convention standings. They’re only one sport out of third, which appeared extremely unlikely throughout the holidays.
Cleveland took a late evening flight to Central Florida after holding off the visiting Sacramento Kings 123-118 on Friday. Donovan Mitchell scored 33 factors and Evan Mobley collected a season-high-tying 29 factors, 13 rebounds and 7 assists.
“We’re headed in the appropriate route,” mentioned Mobley, who totaled 43 factors, 27 rebounds and 7 blocked pictures within the Cavaliers’ two straight victories. “And I am simply attempting to stack video games. It is all of the arduous work I’ve put in popping out.”
After being mauled by the NBA champion Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder 136-104 at house on Jan. 19, Cleveland has knocked off Charlotte and Sacramento. The addition of second-year swingman Jaylon Tyson to the lineup has added depth the membership was missing.
Tyson is averaging 19.6 factors, 6.8 rebounds and three.8 assists during the last 5 video games, 4 of them wins. His vitality seems to have sparked Mobley, who has been a distinct participant since coach Kenny Atkinson referred to as him out earlier within the week for passivity.
“With (injured guard Darius Garland) out, now we have bought to fabricate some stuff with Donovan off the ball,” Atkinson mentioned. “Evan has achieved a wonderful job being aggressive and making the appropriate performs.”
–Area Degree Media
