Smallest details matter most in Magic’s effort to force Game 7 vs. Cavs
CLEVELAND — Jamahl Mosley requested a pen moments before sitting down to speak with reporters shortly after the Magic fell behind 3-2 to the Cavs on Tuesday night.
In his first playoff series as a head coach and third season in Orlando, Mosley clicked the tip of the pen in and out rapidly as he made his way to the microphone.
The act of pen clicking is generally viewed as a way to help relief stress and there might not be a more stressful moment for Mosley over the course of his coaching career.
Orlando enters Friday’s Game 6 on the brink of elimination following Tuesday’s 104-103 loss to Cleveland at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
When he did sit and stopped clicking the pen, Mosley began to quickly mark up a printed box score — circling key numbers and underlining stats that he viewed as game-changers from Orlando’s loss.
The Magic outrebounded Cleveland 43-39 but allowed one additional offensive board (8-7)
The Cavs scored 17 points off 14 turnovers and had 11 second-chance points
And perhaps the most crushing — the Magic missed 7 free throws (22 of 29)
“Those are opportunities that you don’t get back,” Mosley said. “Our ability to continue to understand that gives us a chance.”
Despite this loss, pressure is still on Cavaliers | Commentary
Evan Mobley’s block on Franz Wagner’s layup might have represented Cleveland shutting the door on the Magic, but it was a number of crucial plays during 48 minutes that ultimately decided Orlando’s fate.
How the Magic respond will decide their season.
Win and force a Game 7 in Cleveland on Sunday.
Lose and face the offseason.
“It’s never those final two minutes that you look at. It’s what happened throughout the game that you have to focus [on] and pay attention to,” Mosley said.
“Those things we have to continue to look at and improve.”
If the Heat lose tonight vs. the Celtics in Game 5 to end their series, Magic-Cavs will tip off at 7 p.m. at Kia Center on Friday (Bally Sports Florida/ESPN)
If the Heat win to extend their series, the Magic-Cavs game won’t tip until 8 (Bally Sports Florida/ESPN2).
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
