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Cavs playoffs won't include 1st-round rematch vs Magic, an NBA Play-In Tournament winner
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- Cavs playoffs won't include 1st-round rematch vs Magic, an NBA Play-In Tournament winner
Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson was right because the top-seeded Cavs won't have a first-round rematch with the Orlando Magic in the 2025 NBA playoffs .
The Magic defeated the Atlanta Hawks 120-95 on Tuesday night in the NBA Play-In Tournament and thereby captured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs . The Magic (41-41 in the regular season) will face the No. 2 seed and defending NBA champion Boston Celtics (61-21) in the first round.
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"Orlando, obviously, last year, Game 7," Thompson said Sunday, referencing the Cavs' dramatic 4-3 series win over the Magic in 2024. "I think they're going to be a seven seed anyway."
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Who will the Cleveland Cavs play in the first round of the NBA playoffs?
With the Magic advancing, the potential Round 1 opponents for the Cavs (64-18) have been narrowed down to the three remaining Play-In Tournament teams in the East — the Hawks (40-42), Chicago Bulls (39-43) and Miami Heat (37-45).
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When is Game 1 for Cleveland Cavaliers playoffs?
The Hawks will face the winner of Wednesday night's Bulls-Heat showdown on Friday for the right to become the No. 8 seed in the playoffs and face the Cavs in the opening round. Game 1 is scheduled for Sunday in Cleveland. The time has yet to be announced.
Mar 16, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) dribbles beside Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter (12) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
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Although a Cavs-Magic clash would have provided an obvious storyline because they met in last year's playoffs, Cavs versus Hawks would be an interesting matchup for a different reason.
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On Feb. 6, the Cavs traded guard Caris LeVert , forward Georges Niang , three second-round draft choices and two pick swaps to the Hawks in exchange for wing De'Andre Hunter .
Hawks guard Trae Young drives against Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell in the first quarter, Nov. 29, 2024, in Atlanta.
Hunter arrived in Cleveland as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, and his candidacy is still strong. For the Cavs, he averaged 14.3 points on 48.5% shooting from the field (42.6% on 3-pointers) and 4.2 rebounds in 27 regular-season games. And LeVert and Niang averaged 14.9 points and 12.1 points, respectively, with the Hawks.
The Hawks went 2-1 against the Cavs in 2024-25, though all three games took place before the blockbuster trade between the two teams.
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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs won't have 1st-round rematch vs Magic, who beat Hawks in Play-In
