Mitchell scores 39 to lead Cleveland to largest Game 7 comeback of play-by-play era

The second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs are complete.

 

Cleveland booked the last ticket to the next round, rallying to beat the upstart Orlando Magic in Game 7 Monday (PHL), 106-94.

 

ROUND ONE IS OURS. ONTO THE NEXT. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/ZymT2HK8rA

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 5, 2024

 

 

After scoring 50 points in a loss in Game 6, Donovan Mitchell poured another 39 to make sure the Cavaliers would be moving on.

 

Cleveland went down by as many as 18 late in the first half, but a telling third quarter, where the Cavs outscored the Magic 33-15, would prove to be the difference. 

 

It was the largest comeback in Game 7 history since play-by-play tracking started in 1997-98.

 

18-POINT GAME 7 COMEBACK ??

The Cavaliers completed the LARGEST Game 7 comeback in the play-by-play era to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals 🤯#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/MViu8CldKM

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2024

 

 

Cleveland’s victory is significant for a lot of things, it marks the team’s first playoff series win without LeBron James in the lineup since 1993.

 

More importantly for this particular Cavs group, it’s redemption after getting unceremoniously bounced in the first round last year.

 

Mitchell scored 17 of his 39 points in the huge third-quarter effort and four other Cavaliers scored in double figures, with Evan Mobley providing 11 points and 16 rebounds.

 

Orlando got 38 points and 16 points from Paolo Banchero, who impresses in his NBA Playoffs debut with the Magic.

 

Cleveland will take on no. 1 Boston in the next round.