The Cleveland Cavaliers have locked up home court advantage in the first round

With their 117-113 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers have locked up home court in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Cleveland is locked into the fourth seed in the East as well after the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics. That means the Cavs will host their first round series (likely against the New York Knicks) before opening up any future series on the road.

“It’s very important,” Cavs center Jarrett Allen said after a recent Cavs practice. “They say that’s what changes series — home-court advantage.”

Cleveland has been a much better home team this year. The Cavs have a 31-9 record at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for the most home wins among the top-four Eastern Conference teams — vs. a 19-21 record on the road. Their road record is the only losing road record among the East’s top-six teams.

So, home court might matter. This is a big deal.