Jalen Suggs vs. Donovan Mitchell highlights first-round matchup between Magic, Cavs

Facing his former teammate, Ingles will put their friendship aside during the best-of-7 playoff series.

“[I] still have a great relationship with him that’ll be put on hold for a couple of weeks,” he said. “But I’ve loved seeing his growth. He can put points on the board [and] he can get teammates involved.

“It’ll be a hell of a task, but the group’s ready for it.”

Up for the task is guard Jalen Suggs, who’s described by Magic coach Jamahl Mosley as the “head of the snake” for a defense that rates third league-wide (110.8 defensive rating behind only No. 3 seed Minnesota and No. 1 Boston).

Mitchell is bound to score plenty, but it will likely be up to Suggs, as well as Magic veteran Gary Harris, to contain him from the perimeter. In the first meeting of the season, Mitchell shot 5 of 10 from 3 when he totaled 35 points in 37 minutes.

Overall, Mitchell averaged 27.3 points, 7.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds in three games against the Magic. (He missed the fourth and final meeting Feb. 22 with an undisclosed illness.)

Suggs, however, only played nine minutes in the first contest that Orlando lost by 10 points (Dec. 6) because of a right ankle injury. In the fourth meeting, Suggs was accidentally elbowed in the head by teammate Wendell Carter Jr. and missed majority of the second half.

Refreshed and ready for the postseason, Suggs is looking forward to the challenge of guarding Mitchell and point guard Darius Garland (18 points, 6.5 assists).

“We talk so much about being a great defensive backcourt — being a great defensive team in general — and I don’t think there’s any better test to come out in the first round and get a squad like this.

“These are moments that, as a competitor, you absolutely want to be in. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”