Mitchell and the Cavaliers spent the week claiming they were better prepared for this season's playoffs. On Saturday, they showed it. Jarrett Allen had 18 rebounds, and the Cavs looked emotionally and physically stronger than last year, defeating the Orlando Magic 97-83 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Darius Garland added 14 points, and Evan Mobley scored 16 for Cleveland. After missing the previous two months of action due to a left knee injury, Mitchell appeared to be in much better shape and was Cleveland's main offensive threat for the majority of the match.
Paolo Banchero of Orlando scored 24 points in his first postseason game. Cleveland's formidable defense and the Magic's poor shooting performance contributed to their low field goal percentage. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will host Game 2 on Monday.