The Cleveland Cavaliers have been making franchise history all season, but their red-hot streak hit a wall on Sunday. The Cavs couldn’t extend their run to 17 games, falling 108-103 to the Orlando Magic in a tough loss. For the first time since February 4, Cleveland walked off the court without a win. Despite sitting atop the Eastern Conference, they couldn’t deliver in the clutch. The final minute was brutal—they missed five shots, three of them by Donovan Mitchell, letting the game slip away.

Orlando took over in the second half, outscoring Cleveland 61-43 and handing the Cavs a rare home loss with a 108-103 victory. It was only Cleveland’s fifth defeat on their home floor this season—a tough one to swallow.

But here’s the thing—it could have been their 17th home win. If only they had listened to head coach Kenny Atkinson.

Orlando ramped up its physicality in the second half, turning up the pressure and forcing Cleveland into costly mistakes. Atkinson highlighted Anthony Black as the driving force behind the Magic’s relentless defense.

Despite recognizing the shift in intensity, Cleveland couldn’t adjust. Atkinson revealed that the team discussed their struggles during timeouts, but when it mattered, they failed to execute.

“We talked about it in the huddle—we have to screen better. We gotta work harder to get open, play with more force offensively,” Atkinson explained. “But, you know, we obviously didn’t respond.”

The loss serves as a reality check for the Cavs, who had been rolling through opponents with ease. With the Cavs now heading on a challenging West Coast road trip, Atkinson believes the loss could serve as a crucial lesson. While he avoided calling it a “wake-up call,” he made it clear that this setback should sharpen their focus.

“I think, especially going on to this West Coast trip, like, little appropriate, you know wake-up call is not the right phrase,” Atkinson said. “I just think sometimes it’s, like, okay, you know, this league is, it’s a tough league. A lot you know, great teams out there.”

The head coach remains confident that his team will bounce back.

“And I think this will help us on this trip just be ready to go out there and play better.” Cleveland’s 16-game streak was historic, but Atkinson made it clear—how they respond to this loss will be even more important. On the other side, Paolo Banchero made sure the Cavaliers felt the sting of their first loss in over a month.

Paolo Banchero led the Magic past the Cavaliers

March has belonged to Banchero, and not even the East’s top team could slow him down. The Magic forward dominated in Cleveland, putting up 24 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. But his biggest impact came when it mattered most.

With 45.1 seconds left and Orlando trailing 103-102, Banchero confidently drove right and drilled a 16-foot jumper, putting the Magic ahead for good. That clutch shot sparked an 11-3 run, sealing a 108-103 victory and snapping the Cavs’ franchise-best win streak.

Orlando, now 32-37, has had a rough stretch in March, losing five of their first eight games. But Banchero? He’s been on fire. Through seven games, he’s averaging 30.7 points on 53.3% shooting, plus 7.6 rebounds and four assists.

The Magic need every bit of his production to keep their playoff hopes alive. If the season ended today, they’d be locked into the No. 8 seed, set for a play-in showdown with the Hawks. Losing Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner for the season has left them shorthanded, but if Banchero keeps rolling, Orlando could be a nightmare for any team in the East.