Magic-Cavaliers Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Feb 07 2013 2:18PM

Although the Cleveland Cavaliers haven't defeated the Orlando Magic in almost three years, they would appear to have an ideal opportunity to so Friday night.

Having picked up the pace over the last two weeks, the Cavaliers try to snap a 10-game losing streak to a struggling Magic team dealing with more than its fair share of injuries.

Though Cleveland (15-34) sits at the bottom of the Central Division, its recent efforts haven't resembled those of a last-place club. The Cavaliers have averaged 105.4 points - 8.9 more than their season mark - during a 5-2 run and are coming off notable back-to-back wins.

Four days after beating Western Conference powerhouse Oklahoma City 115-110, Cleveland shot a season-high 56.5 percent in a 122-95 rout of NBA-worst Charlotte on Wednesday - its most lopsided victory since LeBron James' last with the team May 7, 2010.

"It was the first game that I can remember that I got a chance to sit down in the fourth quarter without it being the other way. So that was a good feeling," coach Byron Scott said. "This was one of those games where I was really curious to see if we learned from some of our past mistakes and if we've grown as a basketball team, and I can say we definitely have. It's just a matter of now just keeping it going."

Kyrie Irving had 22 points to lead five players in double figures for Cleveland, which compiled 22 points off the Bobcats' 13 turnovers and outscored them 50-30 in the paint.

"It definitely shows that we're making steps in the right direction," said Irving, averaging 29.9 points and shooting 56.1 percent over his last seven home games. "We're getting better every single game."

The Cavaliers now look for their momentum to carry over against the Magic (14-35), whom they last beat 115-106 on Feb. 11, 2010, behind a near triple-double from James. Cleveland has since been outscored by an average of 10.6 points during its skid in this series, including a 108-104 road loss Nov. 23. Irving, though, didn't play in that game due to a fractured finger.

Orlando will be short-handed this time around with Glen Davis (fractured left foot) out and J.J. Redick (right shoulder) and Arron Afflalo (strained calf) both uncertain to suit up. That trio combined for 53 points in the November win over the Cavs.

Hedo Turkoglu is also expected to miss his second straight game with the flu.

The Magic are coming off their season-worst 11th consecutive loss and 22nd in 24 games, falling 86-76 to a Los Angeles Clippers team that was without its top three scorers Wednesday.

Jameer Nelson, in his first game back after missing two due to a left forearm contusion, had 18 points while Nikola Vucevic added 15 and 14 rebounds for Orlando, which is averaging 79.8 points on 37.6 percent shooting in four games this month.

"When you're working with different combinations, asking guys to do more than we've asked them in the past, it's a tough adjustment to do that on a game-to-game basis," coach Jacque Vaughn said. "So we're going to have to deal with it and learn from it, and get better."

Vucevic has proven to be a rare bright spot for the Magic, averaging 14.0 points and a league-high 13.4 boards in 28 games since Dec. 14.

Orlando hasn't been handed 12 straight losses since a 13-game skid March 13-April 10, 2004.

Cavs send Magic to 12th straight loss

Posted Feb 08 2013 11:29PM

CLEVELAND (AP) Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers are playing better and having fun.

Things are quite different for the Orlando Magic.

Irving scored 24 points and Cleveland defeated Orlando 119-108 on Friday night, sending the Magic to their 12th straight loss.

The Cavaliers, who tied a season high with their third straight victory, have won six of eight and are 11-11 since Dec. 22.

Irving thinks the team's confidence has reached a season high.

"It's fun playing out there," he said. "It's fun being with all these guys every single day, simply put."

After watching the Cavaliers finish last season at 21-45 and begin this season with a 6-23 record, Irving is embracing Cleveland's recent success.

"I don't really think about those dark days," Irving said. "I don't remember them."

Orlando has seen plenty of dark days recently.

The Magic have lost 23 of 25 and haven't won since Jan. 16. The latest defeat tied them with Washington for the second-longest losing streak of the season in the NBA.

"Unfortunately, I'm not a psychic, so I can't predict the future, but we do continue to grow daily," said rookie forward Andrew Nicholson, who scored 21 points. "We'll definitely be better two or three years from now, if not two or three weeks from now."

Nikola Vucevic scored a career-high 25 points for Orlando while Arron Afflalo, playing for the first time since Jan. 27, added 23 points, but that wasn't enough for the Magic.

Marreese Speights scored 18 points and Tristan Thompson added 16 for Cleveland, which scored 13 straight points in a stretch that began late in the third period to take control of the game.

The Cavaliers scored the last eight points of the third quarter to go ahead 85-80. A basket by Shaun Livingston and a 3-pointer by Wayne Ellington put Cleveland ahead 90-80 early in the fourth. The Cavaliers scored 34 points in the final period.

Cleveland is 6-2 since acquiring Speights and Ellington from Memphis on Jan. 22. The added depth has played a key role in the winning ways.

"It makes my job easier," Irving said. "I can come out there and play my game. Our bench is doing a great job keeping the lead."

"We're making steps in the right direction," Cleveland coach Byron Scott said. "We're playing good basketball right now, but we can play better."

Speights, who was 12 for 12 at the foul line, scored 12 points in the stretch that helped Cleveland take over.

The win snapped Cleveland's 10-game losing streak against Orlando. The Cavaliers hadn't beaten the Magic since a 115-106 win on Feb. 11, 2010. Cleveland fell 108-104 in Orlando in November, a game Irving missed with a broken finger.

Cleveland's star point guard, who will compete in the All-Star game, the 3-point contest and the Rising Stars Challenge next weekend in Houston, scored seven points in the fourth quarter.

The game was tied at 24-24 after one quarter and again at 56-all at halftime. Cleveland has won six of seven at home.

The Magic had 11 players in uniform. Afflalo returned after missing six games, four with a calf injury and two for personal reasons J.J. Redick (sore right shoulder) missed his third straight game while Hedo Turkoglu (flu) sat out his second straight game.

Orlando, which hosts Portland on Sunday, hadn't lost 12 straight games since a 13-game run March 13-April 10, 2004.

"(Basketball) is a great game," Magic coach Jacque Vaughn. "It teaches you lessons every time out. We complicate the game when it doesn't need to be complicated, which is why we struggle."

NOTES: Cleveland is one of several teams interested in center Greg Oden, the former No. 1 overall pick who hasn't played since 2009 because of knee injuries. The Akron Beacon Journal reported Friday the Cavaliers are expected to offer him a two-year contract with a team option for a third year after the Feb. 21 trade deadline. Oden, a former Ohio State star, has undergone three microfracture knee surgeries - two on his left knee. ... Of his participation in the 3-point shooting contest at All-Star weekend, Irving said, "Hopefully, I don't come in last place like the Skills Competition last year." ... Redick worked out before the game, but was held out again and is listed day to day. ... C Glen Davis (broken left foot), and F Al Harrington (right knee surgery) continue to be sidelined for Orlando.

Notebook: Cavaliers 119, Magic 108

Brian Dulik, For NBA.com
Posted Sat Feb 09, 2013 12:24 AM - Updated Sat Feb 09, 2013 12:24 AM

THE FACTS: All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving scored 15 of his 24 points in the second half as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied for a 119-108 victory over the Orlando Magic Friday night. Center Marreese Speights added 18 points and five rebounds for surging Cleveland (16-34), while power forward Tristan Thompson had 16 points and five boards. The Cavaliers snapped their 10-game losing streak against Orlando (14-36), dating back to Feb. 11, 2010. Center Nikola Vucevic collected a career-high 25 points and a game-best 13 rebounds for the Magic, which extended its season-long losing streak to 12 games.

QUOTABLE: "Unfortunately, I'm not a psychic, so I can't predict the future. But I do know that we continue to grow daily. We'll definitely be better 2-3 years from now, if not 2-3 weeks from now."

-- Magic power forward Andrew Nicholson

THE STAT: Orlando owns the longest active losing streak in the NBA and has a 2-23 record since Dec. 21. The Magic's last victory came on Jan. 16 against Indiana, while its most recent road win was on Jan. 12 at the Los Angeles Clippers. "Basketball is a great game because it teaches you lessons every time out," Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn said. "We complicate the game when it doesn't need to be complicated, which is why we struggle with turnovers." During their ongoing 12-game skid, the Magic's average margin of defeat is 10.6 points.

TURNING POINT: The Magic held an 80-77 lead with 2:24 left in the third quarter when the Cavaliers rattled off 13 straight points to take command. Shooting guard Wayne Ellington completed the run with a long 3-pointer that put Cleveland ahead 90-80. It marked the third straight game that Speights, Ellington, Shaun Livingston, C.J. Miles, and Luke Walton have played integral roles off the bench in Cavaliers wins. "We're just playing our game and helping each other on the defensive end," Ellington said. "It's nothing out of the ordinary."

QUOTABLE II: "We're trying to build a family here and we have a great group of guys who are willing to give a piece of themselves for the team. Our second unit outweighs the experience of our starters by a lot, I can tell you that."

-- Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving

HOT: The Cavaliers are 6-2 since acquiring Speights, Ellington, point guard Josh Selby, and a first-round draft pick from Memphis in exchange for power forward Jon Leuer. ... Cleveland has won three straight home games and six out of its last seven contests at Quicken Loans Arena. ... Speights, who was a career-best 12-for-12 at the foul line, is averaging 15.1 points and 7.0 rebounds with the Cavaliers. ... Cleveland has scored at least 115 points in three straight games for the first time since Jan. 15-20, 1993. ... The Cavaliers tied their season low with six turnovers. ... Magic point guard Jameer Nelson tied his season high with 13 assists.

NOT: Magic point guards Nelson and E'Twaun Moore combined to miss 16 of their 22 field goal attempts. ... Nelson committed a game-high six turnovers and five fouls. ... Orlando's bench was outscored 51-13. ... The Magic is 2-14 on the road against Eastern Conference teams. ... Orlando power forward Gustavo Ayon logged his first "Did Not Play -- Coach's Decision" of the season. ... Cavaliers center Tyler Zeller did not attempt a field goal in 30 minutes, committed five fouls and was dominated on the other end of the court by Vucevic. ... Cleveland small forward Alonzo Gee was 2-for-8 from the floor, making him 8-for-31 over the last five games.

QUOTABLE III: "My expectations are a little bit higher than us going 11-11 in the last 22 games [since Dec. 22], but we're definitely making steps in the right direction. We're playing good basketball right now, but we can play better."

-- Cavaliers coach Byron Scott

GOOD MOVE: Vucevic aggressively attacked the basket and the boards from the start, recording a double-double in the first half with 15 points and 10 rebounds. The 7-footer from Montenegro finished the night 12-for-19 from the field and 1-for-1 from the foul line. "All year, I've tried to add different things, offensively, to my game," Vucevic said. "My teammates kept making a point to find me and got me the ball tonight." The rookie Nicholson also went right at Zeller and Thompson, netting 21 points and eight boards in 31 minutes.

BAD MOVE: The Magic's starting frontcourt of Vucevic, Nicholson and small forward Maurice Harkless committed 12 fouls, many of them by slapping at the basketball and reaching in when Cleveland's post players drove the lane. "Give credit to their bigs for being relentless going after the boards and forcing the referees to make those foul calls," Vaughn said. Despite big games by Vucevic and Nicholson, Orlando was outscored in the paint 50-42 because Speights, Zeller and Thompson combined to go 21-for-24 on free throws.

NOTABLE: Magic shooting guard Arron Afflalo scored 23 points in his first game since Jan. 27. He missed Orlando's previous six contests; four with a left calf strain and two because of personal reasons. "It was good to have Arron back," Vaughn said. "He makes us a better team." ... The Magic played without shooting guard J.J. Redick (right shoulder soreness), small forward Hedo Turkoglu (flu), power forward Glen Davis (left foot fracture), and small forward Al Harrington (right knee surgery). ... Incoming NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke with select Cavaliers season ticket holders and sponsors before the game, but did not meet with the media.

UP NEXT: For the Magic, Sunday vs. Portland, Wednesday vs. Atlanta, Feb. 19 vs. Charlotte. For the Cavaliers, Saturday vs. Denver, Monday vs. Minnesota, Wednesday vs. San Antonio.

• Magic: Davis, Harrington
• Cavaliers: Selby, Varejao

• Magic: --
• Cavaliers: --

• Lead Changes: 20
• Times Tied: 18

• Arena: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
• Officials: #24 Mike Callahan, #59 Gary Zielinski, #34 Kevin Cutler
• Attendance: 14073
• Duration: 2:13