Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers storm back to oust Magic in Game 7 - ESPN

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell scored 39 points, Caris LeVert added 15 and the Cleveland Cavaliers avoided a potentially franchise-shifting loss by rallying for a 106-94 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday in Game 7 to advance in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Cavs trailed by 18 in the first half and were in danger of being knocked out in the first round for the second year in a row — a scenario that might have led to firings.

But Mitchell, who scored 50 in a Game 6 loss at Orlando and has been battling a left knee injury for months, put the Cavs on his back. He carried them past an up-and-coming Orlando team whose playoff inexperience showed in the second half.

Evan Mobley grabbed 16 rebounds and Darius Garland hit a critical 3-pointer in the fourth for Cleveland, which won its first playoff series without LeBron James since 1993.

The Cavs' 18-point deficit is the largest for a winning team in a Game 7 since at least 1997, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Cleveland will begin the second round on the road against the top-seeded and well-rested Boston Celtics in Game 1 on Tuesday.

Donovan Mitchell had 89 points in Games 6 and 7, the second most in Games 6 and 7 of a series in NBA postseason history. Only Allen Iverson in 2001 vs. the Bucks had more.

In the closing minutes, Cleveland's towel-waving crowd chanted, «We want Boston!» — a matchup that didn't look likely an hour earlier.

Paolo Banchero scored 38 — just 14 after halftime — and added 16 rebounds to lead the Magic, who showed growth in the series but couldn't figure out how to win in Cleveland as both teams held serve on their floors.

Orlando's Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs went a combined 3-of-28 from the field.

Down by 10 at halftime,