Jamahl Mosley gives huge props to Donovan Mitchell
The Orlando Magic left the Kia Center on Saturday night with another frustrating resultfalls 119-105 on Cleveland Cavaliersbut the head coach of the Magic Jamahl Mosley made it clear in his post-match press conference that one player was standing above others in deciding the outcome — Donovan Mitchelland the coach’s words sum up how the night unfolded with Mitchell’s strong showing.
Mosley, who coached against Mitchell multiple times in the regular season and playoffs, offered a detailed overview of what makes the Cavaliers star so hard to contain.
“It’s hard to slow down Donovan Mitchell,” Mosley said. “What helps is giving him different coverages, different looks, different bodies on him because he’s seen it all. We know him very well from playoff basketball and we see him all year long. His ability to score at such a high clip, at the rim, in the mid-range, from three, he just finds ways. He hits tough shots, and he’s able to do it in a lot of ways. It’s going to be very important.”
Mitchell backed up those words on the floor. After a relatively quiet first half, he erupted for 27 of his 36 points after the break, including 17 in the fourth quarter alone. Cleveland pulled away late, using a decisive burst early in the fourth to erase any hope of an Orlando comeback.
Mitchell finished the night shooting 15-of-30 while also contributing nine assists and two steals. He did it in spite Cleveland is missing Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter, helping the Cavaliers secure their fifth win in six games.
The supporting cast also got involved, Jaylon Tyson scored 17 points, and Evan Mobley had 13 points and seven rebounds. Orlando, meanwhile, struggled from deep, hitting just 11 of 40 three-point attempts. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 27 points, doc Jalen Suggs is back from injury with nine points and six assists.
The loss marked Orlando’s third straight loss, all by double digits, as the team continues to slide toward the All-Star break. Orlando will get another chance quickly, however, as the Magic and Cavaliers meet again in Cleveland on Monday night, where adjustments, especially defensively, will be critical if Orlando hopes to turn the tide.
2026-01-25 05:44:00
