Both the Cavaliers and Magic finished 3-1 in group play in the In-Season Tournament and missed the knockout round on point differential alone. The NBA schedule makers pinned these two against each other this week to round out their respective 82-game regular season schedule.
Wednesday's matchup is in Cleveland, and the two teams will play each other twice in a three game span, with the second coming on Monday, December 11 in Orlando.
With just four days between matchups, let's get a lay of the land for both teams, as Dan Savage from Magic.com joins us to give a look at things through the Orlando lens...
1.) What is the biggest change from last season to this season?
Matt Gold, Cavs.com: The offseason additions of Max Strus and George Niang have changed the offensive look for the Cavs through the first 20 games. Niang has shown the ability shoot and make threes (shooting 4.5 per game, nearly 39 percent on the season) while also getting inside to score in the paint (68 percent on shots 0-3 feet away from the rim).
Strus’ three-point shooting has been well-documented, while the amount of space he has and the pull he creates for his teammates should not go unnoticed, opening the paint for Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen to operate. He doesn’t hesitate much either, taking 140 catch-and-shoot threes this season – second in the league.
Even Tristan Thompson’s return to Cleveland has paid dividends, as the veteran big man has provided some leadership and grittiness. Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has turned to him in big situations and when the Cavs have needed a spark – getting a last second stop on Joel Embiid in Philadelphia and recording four points, rebounds, and assists in eight minutes to turn the tide against the Raptors.
Dan Savage, Magic.com: In my opinion, the biggest move the Magic made this offseason was not making many moves. Instead, they let their young core grow organically over the summer, and it’s currently paying dividends. Early in the season, while many teams are trying to find their identity and style of play, the Magic are leaning on their continuity. For three seasons now, Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley has preached to this group the importance of setting the tone defensively and taking a by-committee approach to the offensive end of the floor.
Over the course of their recent nine-game winning streak, Orlando had the league’s No. 1 defensive rating (108.4) during that span. And in their last six games overall, the Magic are averaging the third-most assists in the association, dishing out 29.3 dimes per outing.
This team has a great sense of what it takes for them to win and that’s a big reason why they’re 14-6 – the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
2.) Who has been the biggest under-the-radar player for your team this season?
Gold: Strus could be the answer to this one, but since he was a key offseason addition, the choice here is Craig Porter Jr.
CPJ is an undrafted rookie out of Wichita State who has appeared in 13 games, starting one. With Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Caris LeVert all missing time thus far, Porter has been a pleasant surprise, shooting over 56 percent from the floor combined with five outings in double figures, including 21 in a home win against Denver. He went fearlessly at Joel Embiid for a clutch bucket in overtime in Philly and has calmed the game down at times for Cleveland.
Savage: The Magic’s roster is filled with under-the-radar players. Jalen Suggs is finally getting national notoriety for his tenacious defense. Cole Anthony is an early NBA Sixth Man of the Year candidate. And Jonathan Isaac has reminded everyone that he’s an all-world defender when he’s healthy.
However, since we have to narrow this down to one individual, I’m going to roll with Moe Wagner. The 6-foot-11 center is a huge reason that Orlando’s second unit has been able to turn the tide of games. The Magic’s bench is averaging 47.3 points per game this season (second most in the NBA) and has the fourth best plus-minus rating (+2.5).
Among qualified players, Wagner is top 10 in scoring off the pine – pouring in 13.0 points per contest – and in field goal percentage – knocking down 63.3 percent of his shots from the floor. With Wendell Carter Jr. (left hand; fractured third metacarpal) sidelined, the Magic have needed their backup bigs to help pick up the load and Wagner’s done exactly that. He played a major role in helping Germany earn a FIBA Basketball World Cup gold medal this summer and now he’s helping Orlando win games this season.
3.) How does Orlando beat Cleveland, and how does Cleveland beat Orlando?
Gold: Cleveland can’t get into a track meet with the Magic. The Cavs rely heavily on the pick-and-roll on offense and are best when the ball is moving around the floor. Their pace has picked up slightly from last season (30th in the league to 20th), but the Cavs run the fourth-most pick-and-rolls per game.
The effort on the defensive end will be key against the Magic, stopping their transition and fast-break offense. Defense leads to offense for the Wine & Gold.
Savage: The Magic are unquestionably at their best when their defense fuels their offense. In their most recent loss to the Brooklyn Nets, which snapped Orlando’s nine-game winning streak, the Magic failed to get stops and that led to problems on both ends of the floor. To a man, the team has made it a priority to play up to their high defensive standards when they take the floor against the Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Orlando is fourth in the NBA in steals per game (8.8) and second in points off turnovers (19.7). If they can generate those type of numbers against Cleveland, then they’ll have a chance to beat the Cavs.
4.) How has the addition of Max Strus helped the Cavs?
Gold: Everyone knows about Strus’ ability to shoot and make threes, and that has not gone away since coming to Cleveland, shooting over seven per game and making them at a 40 percent clip. A big surprise about his game is his assist numbers, averaging a career-high 5.5 per contest. Out of 15 games, there have been only three with Strus handing out two or less assists – two have been losses, and in the third he scored 27 points in a win.
5.) What has been the biggest key to Paolo’s improvement from year one to year two?
Savage: After nearly unanimously winning the 2022-23 NBA’s Rookie of the Year award, Paolo Banchero didn’t take much time to celebrate this summer. Instead, he spent the offseason playing for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup. That experience, along with an offseason of working with Magic coaches, has helped elevate him as a defender and as a playmaker.
Over the last two games, Banchero has flirted with a triple-double. After posting 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in a win over the Washington Wizards on Friday, he notched 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in Saturday’s loss to the Nets.