As the final stages of the first round of the NBA Playoffs wind down, we knew Friday would be hectic. The Cleveland Cavaliers had a chance to eliminate the Orlando Magic, but they couldn’t get the job done. As you can imagine, the Cavs are obvious targets, but who else are the biggest winners and losers from Friday’s NBA Playoff action?
Winner: Donovan Mitchell
The Cavaliers may have lost the game, but it wasn’t because of Mitchell. Maybe if his teammates matched his energy, Mitchell wouldn’t have felt compelled to score 50 points, but his 22-of-36 shooting performance was certainly worth celebrating. Unfortunately, his teammates only scored 46 points, but that’s not on Mitchell.
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Loser: Cavaliers bench, supporting cast
After scoring 21 points on 10-of-17 shots, Darius Garland is off the hook, but the rest of the Cavaliers not named Donovan Mitchell need to take a hard look in the mirror and ask themselves what happened in Game 6. If you remove the 60% shooting from Garland and Mitchell, the rest of the Cavs combined to make just 10-of-33 shots, is this high school? No wonder the Magic won.
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Winner: Paolo Banchero
We’re witnessing a No. 1 overall pick go from star to superstar before our eyes. Banchero wanted to make sure the Magic stayed alive for Game 7, playing 42 minutes while leading the team with 27 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds on a night where the Cavs lost the battle on the glass by 10.
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Loser: J.B. Bickerstaff
With a chance to send the Magic packing and earn his team a bit of rest, Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff couldn’t push the right buttons. Mitchell had a spectacular night, and the Cavaliers even outshot the Magic 48.8% to 39.3%.
Yet, they only sank 25% of their free throws, committed 10 more fouls than the Magic, and only had 15 assists on 42 makes. Of course, Mitchell going iso probably contributed to other teammates being frozen out, but again, Bickerstaff is the head coach, he needs to figure it out.
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Winner: Jalen Suggs
While Suggs actually trailed Banchero and Franz Wagner in points, hitting six 3s proved pivotal in the seven-point win. Suggs could have been a bit sharper, like cutting down on his four turnovers and three fouls, but he made up for it with his sharpshooting from distance.
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Loser: Maxi Kleber
Don’t let the picture fool you. Kleber did make a 3-pointer, but his night ended after just five minutes of play after suffering a right shoulder sprain. A crucial part of the Mavs’ bench unit thanks to his 3-and-D ability, Kleber’s status will be key against Oklahoma City.
Winner: Luka Doncic
Not even a sprained knee can keep the NBA’s leading scorer down. Luka Doncic wasn’t leaving anything to chance, leading the game with 28 points. Sure, he could have shot better and committed fewer turnovers, but he was good enough elsewhere to power the Mavericks to the semifinals.
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Loser: Russell Westbrook
Tyronn Lue could have gotten more from Russell Westbrook on a day when the Clippers were already without Kawhi Leonard. Yet, the future Hall of Famer didn’t get much of an opportunity, being limited to just nine minutes, where he scored just six points on seven shots.
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Winner: Kyrie Irving
When Kyrie Irving was on the trade block in 2023, some thought he’d have a hard time fitting in anywhere he landed. We’re now seeing how ridiculous those thoughts were. While there were some rough patches, it’s clear that Irving’s the best teammate Luka Doncic has ever had. Fitting in nicely in his second season in Dallas, the Mavericks are a dangerous team with Doncic and Irving at their best.
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Loser: James Harden
James Harden had his typical double-double, but the Clippers needed him to be nearly perfect on a night when Doncic and Irving were in the zone. Unfortunately, Harden wasn’t ready for the bright lights. The Clippers guard struggled with his shot all night, sinking just 5-of-16 shots, including bricking all six 3-point attempts. Finishing with just 16 points, Harden had a night to forget.
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