ORLANDO, Fla. — Even after being eliminated from postseason contention, the Orlando Magic still had something to play for in Thursday’s 118-94 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Magic entered the matchup .500 at home, vying for their first winning record at Amway Center in four seasons.
Even with that in mind the Magic sat their starters, opting for players who haven’t been in the rotation in the defeat, giving Orlando a losing home record (20-21) for the third consecutive season.
Paolo Banchero (back tightness), Wendell Carter Jr. (left hip soreness), Markelle Fultz (left knee soreness), Gary Harris (left inner thigh soreness) and Franz Wagner (sprained left ankle) weren’t available. Neither was Jonathan Isaac (season-ending left inner thigh surgery on March 3).
Cole Anthony, the team’s leading scorer off the bench, was available, according to coach Jamahl Mosley, but didn’t play.
“The decision really is that it gives these other guys an opportunity,” Mosley said. “Once we were eliminated from that play-in position, you have to look at now what we’ve talked about all year long: How do we help these guys get better? How do we help them grow? How do they get opportunities to play their best basketball at this time of the year?”
The last time Orlando finished a winning home record was 2019-20. The Magic had an 18-17 home record during the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season, including 16-15 at Amway Center after going 2-2 in “home” games in the league’s bubble at Disney World.
Jalen Suggs (22 points, six rebounds and four assists), Caleb Houstan (five points), Chuma Okeke (two points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks), Bol Bol (13 points, seven rebounds) and Moe Wagner (six points, four rebounds) started against the Cavaliers.
“They’re so deserving of it,” Mosley said of his reserves. “They’ve worked their tails off all year. They’ve competed with these guys who’ve been in starting lineups. They’ve started at times. It’s an opportunity for them to keep getting better, continue to evaluate and like anybody who puts that uniform on, they’re going to compete.”
The Magic came out firing offensively. Suggs made his first five shots, including four 3-pointers, for 14 points to give Orlando a 23-13 lead midway through the first and a 42-33 lead at the end of the quarter.
But the lack of continuity that comes with playing non-rotation players showed itself in the following two quarters.
The Maic had 22 turnovers for 26 Cleveland points.
The Cavaliers (51-30), led by Danny Green’s 21 points and a bench unit that scored 66, outscored the Magic 62-31 combined in the second and third quarters before cruising to their third consecutive win.
Cleveland, which secured the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs with a victory over Orlando on Tuesday, also sat most of its rotation.
Jarrett Allen (strained right groin), Darius Garland (lower left leg contusion), Caris LeVert (right knee soreness), Donovan Mitchell (sprained finger on left hand), Evan Mobley (rest), Isaac Okoro (sore left knee) and Dylan Windler (sprained left foot) didn’t play.
The Magic (34-46) will play the Brooklyn Nets (44-36) Friday in New York at Barclays Center before playing the season finale against the Heat in Miami Sunday.
