Magic forward Franz Wagner makes a move against Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, right, during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round series on Saturday in Orlando. John Raoux/Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. — Franz Wagner had 34 points and 13 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic held the Cleveland Cavaliers scoreless for a second-half stretch of almost seven minutes Saturday in a 112-89 victory that tied the Eastern Conference first-round series at 2-2.
Wagner had 10 points in the first five minutes of the third quarter, matching Cleveland’s total for the entire period, when the Magic outscored them 37-10 and turned what had been a nine-point halftime deficit into their second straight romp.
Jonathan Isaac (14 points, including Orlando’s only two 3-pointers of the first half) and Markelle Fultz (12 points, four rebounds) gave the Magic major help off the bench. Paolo Banchero, who had 35 points in Orlando’s 121-83 win in Game 3 on Thursday night, finished with nine points and five assists.
Jarrett Allen had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell had 18 points, all in the first half, and six assists.
Game 4 of the series will be Tuesday night in Cleveland, where the No. 4-seeded Cavaliers won the first two before getting blown out twice in Florida.
Mitchell, who shot 5 for 14, led the Cavaliers to a 60-51 halftime lead.
The Magic survived four turnovers each by Banchero and Jalen Suggs in the first quarter and tied it 41-41 midway through the second quarter. Mitchell’s only 3-pointer launched a 9-0 Cleveland run and the Cavs made 13 of 18 shots in a 37-point second period.
THUNDER 106, PELICANS 85: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points and Oklahoma City won in New Orleans to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey each scored 21 for the Thunder, who escaped Game 1 with a two-point victory before posting victory margins of 32 in Game 2 and 21 in Game 3.
Top-seeded Oklahoma City hit 17 of 36 (47.2%) from 3-point range and held a lead of 10 points or more throughout the second half, going up by as many as 24 in the fourth quarter.
The eighth-seeded Pelicans, who’ve been without star forward Zion Williamson during the series because of his hamstring injury, will try to avoid elimination at home in Game 4 on Monday night. But even if they do, history is not on their side. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
Brandon Ingram scored 19 points and CJ McCollum had 16 for New Orleans, which struggled to hit from the perimeter and to take care of the ball.
The Pelicans, who shot just 27.7% from 3-point range during the series’ first two games combined, improved only marginally in their return home, hitting 28.1% (9 of 32). New Orleans also turned the ball over 21 times, leading to 23 Thunder points.
Bucks guard Damian Lillard grabs his leg after being injured during the first half in Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers on Friday in Indianapolis. MIchael Conroy/Associated Press
NOTES
BUCKS: Damian Lillard underwent an MRI to determine the severity of his Achilles injury, and the Milwaukee Bucks could be without the star guard for Game 4 of their playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Coach Doc Rivers said.
Lillard is in a walking boot. He was clearly limping at times during the Bucks’ Game 3 loss at Indiana on Friday. Milwaukee trails Indiana 2-1 ahead of Game 4.
The Lillard situation raises the possibility of the Bucks being without both him and Giannis Antetokounmpo on Sunday. Antetokounmpo has not played in the series while dealing with a calf injury that he suffered late in the regular season.
Rivers said it’s possible that Antetokounmpo gets cleared for Game 4, though stopped well short of indicating that the Bucks were expecting that to happen. He said Antetokounmpo will go through a “hard workout” and from there a determination will be made.
There was some good news Saturday, with Rivers saying Khris Middleton – who finished with a playoff-career high 42 points in Game 3 – came through the game fine, despite dealing with the aftereffects of a sprained right ankle.
Lillard added 28 points and eight assists in Game 3, most coming after he hurt his left knee in the first quarter. He aggravated an Achilles tendon injury late in the fourth.
Milwaukee was 1-8 when Lillard didn’t start a game in the regular season.
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