Garland scores 25 points, Cavaliers improve to 6-0 with 120-109 win over Banchero-less Magic

Darius Garland scored 25 points, Donovan Mitchell added 22 and nan Cleveland Cavaliers improved to 6-0 pinch a 120-109 triumph complete nan Orlando Magic, who played their first crippled without injured prima Paolo Banchero

CLEVELAND -- Darius Garland scored 25 points, Donovan Mitchell added 22 and nan Cleveland Cavaliers improved to 6-0 pinch a 120-109 triumph Friday nighttime complete nan Orlando Magic, who played their first crippled without injured All-Star Paolo Banchero.

The Cavs are nan only unbeaten squad successful nan Eastern Conference. The past clip Cleveland started 6-0 was successful 2016 pinch LeBron James. The club's champion commencement was 8-0 successful 1976.

The early gathering betwixt Orlando and Cleveland was a rematch of past season's tense opening-round playoff bid won by nan Cavs successful 7 games.

Banchero is expected to miss astatine slightest a period — and possibly longer — pinch a torn correct oblique. The No. 1 wide prime successful nan 2022 draught was connected an early tear, averaging 29 points pinch 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists earlier getting wounded Wednesday.

Orlando's Jalen Suggs scored a career-high 28 points and had 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Franz Wagner had 17 points.

Cleveland rookie Luke Travers made his NBA debut. The Australian scored 4 points successful garbage time.

Magic: Life without Banchero won't beryllium easy, but it could lead to Suggs further processing his violative crippled and others stepping up.

Cavaliers: Have bought into first-year coach Kenny Atkinson's violative strategy by playing astatine a faster gait and shooting much 3-pointers.

The Magic hung astir and were still wrong 10 precocious successful nan 3rd quarter, erstwhile Cavs reserves Caris LeVert, Sam Merrill and Georges Niang each made 3-pointers successful nan last 2:17 to springiness Cleveland a 17-point lead going to nan fourth.

Cleveland improved to 30-7 successful Mitchell's past 37 regular-season games since January.

The Magic proceed their travel astatine Dallas connected Sunday. The Cavs play Saturday successful Milwaukee earlier hosting Bucks connected Monday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba