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CLEVELAND, OHIO – FEBRUARY 11: Donovan Mitchell #45 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers warm up prior to a game against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena on February 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic are set to play in a key matchup on Tuesday, March 24, on NBC.
In the lead-up to the game between two Eastern Conference teams battling for top seeds in the standings, both the Cavaliers and Magic have announced their final injury reports and starting lineups for the contest.
Cleveland, fourth in the East, arrives for the game on a three-game winning streak, while Orlando, eighth in the East, is hoping to put an end to a five-game losing streak.
Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report And Starting Lineup
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 01: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 01, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 115-111.
Before the game, the Cavaliers announced the starting lineup for the game against the Magic.
Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade, and Evan Mobley all got the nod.
It’s the same starting lineup head coach Kenny Atkinson used in their last win over the New Orleans Pelicans, and it’s been a group used amidst the numerous injuries Cleveland has dealt with over the past few weeks.
As for their injury report, the most notable player is Jarrett Allen (knee), who along with Jaylon Tyson (toe), Larry Nance Jr. (illness) and Craig Porter Jr. (groin) are all listed as out.
Rookie Tyrese Proctor was originally listed as questionable with a quad strain, but he’s since been upgraded to available.
But the injury to Allen is perhaps most pressing for the Cavaliers. He has been out for three weeks with the knee injury, and doesn’t have a direct timeline for a return. In 51 games this season, Allen is averaging 15.3 points and 8.5 rebounds on 63.6% shooting.
Orlando Magic Injury Report And Starting Lineup
GettyBERLIN, GERMANY – JANUARY 15: Franz Wagner #22 of the Orlando Magic reacts during the fourth quarter of the NBA Match between Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic at Uber Arena on January 15, 2026 in Berlin, Germany.
As for Orlando, they also announced their starting lineup for the Tuesday night game against Cleveland.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley and the staff picked Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Tristan da Silva, Jamal Cain, and Wendell Carter Jr. as their starters.
Regarding the Magic injury report, they have Franz Wagner, Anthony Black (abdominal), Jonathan Isaac (knee), and Jalen Suggs (illness) all listed as out.
Wagner, one of the team’s star forwards next to Banchero, has played in just four games since early December with an ankle injury that has yet to fully heal. He played four games in February, but has been out since, with no direct timeline for a return.
However, according to the team, as reported before the game, the Magic did assign and then recall Wagner from their G-League affiliate after he practiced with the team. That injury update didn’t point to the German eyeing any specific return date, but it is a typical sign that an injured player is ramping up to get back on the court.
In just 28 games this year, he is averaging 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals on 47.9% shooting.
Cleveland is up 2-1 on the season series, but Orlando won the last game between the two teams 128-122 on March 11.
This game will be available on NBC and Peacock, and the tip-off time is at 8 pm EST.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
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