Darius Garland recorded 25 points, while Donovan Mitchell contributed 22 as the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their undefeated streak to 6-0 with a 120-109 victory on Friday night against the Orlando Magic. This win came in the absence of injured All-Star Paolo Banchero, who missed his first game of the season.
The Cavaliers currently hold the distinction of being the only unbeaten team in the Eastern Conference. The last time Cleveland achieved a 6-0 start was in 2016 when LeBron James was part of the team. The franchise’s best start to a season was an impressive 8-0 record back in 1976.
This early-season clash between Orlando and Cleveland served as a rematch of their intense first-round playoff series from last season, which the Cavaliers won in seven games.
Unfortunately, Banchero is expected to be sidelined for at least a month, and possibly longer, due to a torn right oblique. The top overall pick in the 2022 draft had been off to a blazing start, averaging 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game before sustaining the injury on Wednesday.
Despite the loss, Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic put up an outstanding performance, scoring a career-high 28 points and also contributing eight rebounds and seven assists. Franz Wagner also had a solid outing with 17 points.
In addition, rookie Luke Travers of the Cleveland Cavaliers made his NBA debut, scoring four points during garbage time. Travers hails from Australia and showed promise in his limited playing time.
