Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: The Cavaliers have no chance without their leaders

Orlando has lost to Cleveland three times this season, and the last loss was less than two days ago. The Cavaliers lineup will be very different in the return, and the Magic have a chance to take revenge.

Orlando Magic

The Magic look as good as any playoff contender in the 2nd half. Orlando suffered a season-ending setback to their team due to an injury at the start of the season, during which time they would have quickly risen above their current 11th-place finish in the Eastern Conference. During the stretch of 10 games, five players on the team averaged more than 16 points per game, so it's hard to pick a clear leader. Thanks to Cole Anthony, Markell Fultz, Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner, and Paolo Banquero, Orlando has won 6 of 9 previous games. Among the defeats were Brooklyn, New York, and Los Angeles Clippers.

Last regular-season game, the Magic lost to Cleveland by a score of 113:117. Paolo Banquero and Franz Wagner combined for just 14 of 34 shots on the floor, and things might have been different had they been slightly more efficient. Markell Fultz had 23 points and 8 assists aseightOrlando's leading scorer. The team played good defense but missed too much from beyond the arc, which was one of the main reasons for their loss.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are no longer likely to rise above the 4th spot in the Eastern Conference. They'll face New York in the playoffs and must prepare for that game at their best. The Cleveland coaching staff will not use almost all of the key rotation players in their game against Orlando: Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Caris Levert, and Isaac Okoro won't play. Mitchell, by the way, recently broke the club record for most games with 40+ points in a season, surpassing LeBron James.

Mitchell scored 43 points in his recent game against Orlando and helped his team win. Levert came off the bench and was second on Cleveland's scoring list with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Levert and Mitchell made five 3-pointers - the same number as the rest of the Cavaliers' squad.

Expert Betting Tips

Even with their optimal lineup, Cleveland does not seem unstoppable, and Orlando fell just short of winning their previous head-to-head game. The Cavaliers can play more or less decently against the Magic with Ricky Rubio, but they simply won't have enough of their best offensive options. The home team has five basketball players who can take on the leadership role at once.