Sports
Improved Magic set for litmus test against Cavaliers
Dec 29, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) and forward Paolo Banchero (5) celebrate their 117-108 win against the New York Knicks at KIA Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images The Cleveland Cavaliers take the NBA’s best record and a seven-game winning streak into a road matchup Tuesday against the Orlando Magic, who are looking to build on their own success of late.
Since dropping nine of 10 games amid an injury-plagued stretch in January and the first week of February, Orlando has rebounded to win five of its last eight.
The Magic are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference following a 110-90 home victory over the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The victory put them three games behind Detroit for the last guaranteed playoff berth.
One reason for the surge? Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner in the lineup together since Jan. 23 after Banchero missed more than two months and Wagner missed a month and a half with oblique injuries.
Wagner averages 25.1 points in 39 games to lead the Magic, while Banchero produces 22.9 points per game over 25 contests. They both average 4.9 assists to set the team pace.
With the team’s stars together and healthy, Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley emphasized finding the right playing combinations to generate offense without sacrificing the Magic’s NBA-best 105.2 points allowed per game.
Orlando is scoring only 104.3 points per game, which is last in the league. But when the Magic exceeded that mark five times in the last eight games, it went 4-1 in those contests.
“Trying different rotations and looks, we’re going to have to continue to find guys (who) can provide a spark,” Mosley said. “These guys all stay prepared. They stay ready for their moment.”
Anthony Black, who scored 23 points on Sunday, is one such player. The second-year guard has scored in double-figures five times in the last eight games – all Orlando wins.
All scoring options for the Magic will be on call Tuesday against the NBA’s most prolific scoring offense. Cleveland is averaging an NBA-best 122.9 points per game behind Donovan Mitchell’s 24.2 average. Darius Garland scores 21.3 points per game while Evan Mobley adds 18.7.
Garland (hip) missed the Cavaliers’ 129-123 win on Sunday over the Memphis Grizzlies, but Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said that Garland could be back in the lineup Tuesday. The Cavaliers also saw Jarrett Allen exit Sunday’s game in the third quarter.
Allen, who averages 13.6 points and a team-leading 10.4 rebounds per game, had a finger injury earlier in the week against New York. His status for Tuesday is uncertain.
Mitchell scored 33 points to set the pace versus the Grizzlies. Mobley added 25 and Ty Jerome erupted for 26 off the bench with 15 coming in the fourth quarter.
Jerome has emerged as a reliable offensive weapon for Cleveland with 13 double-figure scoring games over the last 17, including a 33-point outburst Jan. 24 at Philadelphia.
Cleveland also added perimeter scoring punch with the acquisition of De’Andre Hunter from Atlanta in a deal that sent veteran Caris LeVert to the Hawks. In five games since joining the Cavaliers, Hunter has averaged 13.4 points per game.
Hunter has come off the bench in four of those five contests, but Atkinson pointed to the overall minutes Hunter is playing as indicative of his value to Cleveland.
“De’Andre … is averaging starter minutes so far, or up there,” Atkinson said of Hunter’s 24.2 minutes per contest. “As long as you’re in that main rotation, which he is, he’s more than fine with it.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Marlins' Class A pitcher fails drug test, suspended 80 games
Sep 11, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; A general view of a illuminated Miami Marlins logo in center field after the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies split a double header at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Miami Marlins minor league pitcher Eiver Mosquera has received an 80-game suspension for testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance.
This season with Class-A Jupiter and the rookie-level Florida Complex League Marlins in 12 games (nine starts), the 19-year-old was 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA, 30 strikeouts and 16 walks in 38 innings.
Mosquera joined the organization in 2024 as a $150,000 international signing out of Venezuela.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NYCFC focusing on Fire, not player's demand, fan reaction
Sep 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC midfielder a(7) brings the ball up the pitch against Charlotte FC during the second half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Their leading goal scorer wants out of town and their goalkeeper is public enemy No. 1 after a costly gaffe during the World Cup played a key role in the United States losing to Belgium in the round of 16.
But New York City FC is still relying on Nicolas Fernandez Mercau and Matt Freese for big contributions Saturday night when the Chicago Fire invade Yankee Stadium.
Fernandez Mercau scored his 11th goal on a penalty kick Wednesday night during a 2-1 win at Columbus that got NYCFC (6-6-4, 22 points) to .500. It came one day after reports that the club rejected an $18 million offer for his services, leading to his demand that the team transfer him.
“You see a player that is performing for and with his team with a lot of energy,” head coach Pascal Jansen said of Fernandez Mercau. “That’s what he’s supposed to do.”
Freese, whose whiffed clearing attempt led to a third goal for Belgium in a 4-1 win on July 6, was booed on every touch Wednesday. Despite the jeers, he made three saves in the team’s first fixture after the World Cup break.
Meanwhile, Chicago (8-5-2, 26 points) sits third in the East table despite a 3-2 loss Wednesday night at Inter Miami. The result snapped the Fire’s three-match winning streak.
Chicago opted not to stand pat during the summer transfer window, adding Robert Lewandowski from Barcelona on a two-year deal. The 37-year-old Lewandowski, the captain of Poland’s national team, started at Miami and played 63 minutes.
“After just two days with my new team, I didn’t expect everything to work perfectly in my first game,” Lewandowski said.
Lewandowski’s signing led to the departure of star striker Hugo Cuypers. The Fire sold him to LIGA MX’s Monterrey for a reported $7.5 million after he scored 40 goals in 75 league matches over the past 2 1/2 seasons. Cuypers scored 13 goals in 11 matches this season, tying Dallas’ Petar Musa for the league lead.
NYCFC is 3-0-2 in its last five matches against Chicago.
–Field Level Media
Sports
CF Montreal acquire Brayan Ceballos from Revs for up to $850K GAM
Mar 15, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Revolution forward Luca Langoni (41) congratulates defender Brayan Ceballos (3) after he scored his second goal during the first half against the FC Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images The New England Revolution traded defender Brayan Ceballos to CF Montreal on Friday in exchange for up to $850,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM).
The payments were divided into $500,000 in 2026 GAM, $250,000 in 2027 GAM and up to $100,000 in conditional GAM. The Revs also retained a percentage of Ceballos’ sell-on rights should he be transferred again.
“Brayan is a reliable and versatile defender who can play effectively in a variety of systems, making him an important addition to our roster,” Luca Saputo, Montreal’s managing director for recruitment and sporting methodology, said in a statement. “His strengths will complement those already present in our defensive unit. We are confident that he will contribute to our collective objectives as well as the team’s development.”
Ceballos, 25, came to the Revolution from Brazil’s Fortaleza EC in January 2025. He had three goals in 38 career games (37 starts) for the Revs, with two of those goals coming in one game this season, March 15 against Cincinnati.
“We are grateful to Brayan for all his contributions during his time in New England. We wish him all the best in Montreal,” Revolution general manager Chris Tierney said in a statement. “As we look to continue improving the first team, generating this significant amount of allocation money will allow us to continue investing in the roster in the future.”
–Field Level Media
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