ORLANDO — All of a sudden, a series that appeared to be one-sided in favor of Cleveland, is now tied at 2-2.
Franz Wagner scored 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to power the Orlando Magic to an impressive 112-89 Game 4 victory over the Cavaliers on Saturday, knotting their best-of-seven series at 2-2.
The Magic poured 37 third quarter points to turn an on the way to a 60-51 deficit into an 88-70 lead entering the fourth quarter.
“Once we came back from that nine-point deficit starting the third, and they took that timeout, I felt like OK, the momentum is swinging in our direction,” Magic big man Jonathan Isaac told reportets.
Isaac finished with 14 points and 7 boards. Jalen Suggs added 12 while Paolo Banchero, who struggled on 4-of-14 shooting, finished with 9 points.
Having surrendered a comfortable 2-0 lead, the Cavaliers hopes to regain the lead and the momentum when the series shifts to the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland for the pivotal Game 5 on Tuesday night (Wednesday AM Manila time).
“They held home court just like we did. Now we get an opportunity to go home and play a best-of-three series with two games in Cleveland. We’ve got areas where we can change some things, fix some things, but I know our guys will be ready to go on Tuesday night,” Cleveland coach J.B.Bickerstaff said.
Jarrett Allen had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell had 18 points.
“Ten points (in a quarter) is outrageous,” Donovan said. “We have to be better. I have to be better. I’m disappointed in myself, so it’s on me. You can’t have 18 points in the first half and zero in the second, and only four shots,’ saud Mitchell.
The Magic, meanwhile, are hungry for more.
“We’re not satisfied at all. We just got two wins. We need two more against them so we’ve got to stay locked in,” an ecstatic Wagner declared.
