Desmond Bane scored 35 points, including five in the final 18 seconds, as the Orlando Magic beat the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 128-122 on Wednesday night.
Paulo Banchero had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Tristan da Silva added 23 points for the surging Magic. Wendell Carter Jr. had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Orlando extended its winning streak to five and moved into a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference with the Toronto Raptors. Cleveland is fourth, three games ahead of both.
Bane buried a tough 3-pointer and made two free throws after Cleveland had pulled within 122-120 on Donovan Mitchell’s 3-pointer. There were 12 lead changes, but none in the fourth quarter.
James Harden finished with 30 points, his most since joining the Cavaliers in a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, along with five rebounds and eight assists.
Donovan Mitchell had 25 points and Keon Ellis scored 20 off the bench for Cleveland, which lost for the fourth time in its last seven games. Evan Mobley had 18 points and 13 rebounds, but went 2 of 7 from the foul line.
The turning point occurred in the third when Orlando scored seven straight points after the Cavaliers won a replay challenge, taking their largest lead up to that stage at 96-86.
Clark was called for a technical by official Ed Malloy as he motioned to the Cavaliers bench to challenge his foul on Jett Howard. The review changed it to a block, but Bane made the free throw and added a three-point play.
Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson went to a zone defense in the second, sending the teams to halftime tied at 62. Banchero posted 17 points, four rebounds and five assists, and Mitchell and Harden each had 16 points.
Bane and da Silva scored eight points apiece, burying 7 of 9 field goal attempts in the first quarter to give Orlando a 38-35 advantage. Mitchell led all players with 12 points and Harden had eight points without a miss.
The Cavaliers won the teams’ first two meetings by 14 and 16 points, respectively. They wrap up their season series March 24 in Cleveland, but could meet in the opening round of the playoffs as Orlando continues to move up the standings.
Forward Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain) and guard Anthony Black (abdominal muscle strain) remain out indefinitely for the Magic.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (right knee tendonitis) and rookie guard Tyrese Proctor (right quadriceps strain) both missed their third games in a row.
–Field Level Media
