Game review: Cavaliers (5-3) 102, Magic (6-3) 93
The final score was not an indication about how one-sided this game was, as Cleveland had a 20 point lead with under six minutes remaining in the game before a meaningless Magic run in the final five minutes. LeBron James and Mo Williams combined for 64 points.
The Magic had their only lead of the game at 9-7, as the Cavaliers shot 65% in the first quarter to lead 35-28. The Cavaliers extended their lead to 57-42 in the second quarter before settling for a 66-51 halftime lead. The Cavaliers continued to extend their lead in the second half, leading 88-68 after three quarters and had their largest lead of 92-70 early in the fourth quarter.
Magic leading scorers
Vince Carter: 29 points (11 of 23 FGs), 5 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 19 points (8 of 15 FGs), 5 assists
Dwight Howard: 11 points (3 of 3 FGs), 7 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 10 points (3 of 7 FGs)
Overall Game Statistics
FG%: CLE 48.1% (37 of 77) ORL 45.1% (37 of 82)
3 PT FG%: CLE 71.4% (10 of 14) ORL 22.2% (4 of 18)
FT%: CLE 78.3% (18 of 23) ORL 60% (15 of 25)
REB: CLE 42 (6 offensive) ORL 37 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: CLE 12/14 ORL 9/10
BENCH: ORL 18 CLE 10
Other game notes and stats:
-LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 36 points, along with 8 rebounds; Mo Williams scored 28 points with 6 assists
-Williams scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half, and made all 9 shots
-Shaquille O'Neal added 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks
-Magic shot just 15 of 42 in the second half
-Matt Barnes and Brandon Bass, the Magic's starting forwards, each scored 8 points with 4 rebounds
-Howard picked up 3 fouls in the first quarter, attempted just 3 shots in 31 minutes, and was 5 of 12 on free throws
-James and Williams combined to shoot 25 of 43
-The Cavaliers' bench combined to shoot 2 of 15
-The Magic bench combined to shoot 7 of 21
-Marcin Gortat led the Magic with 8 rebounds, and started the second half along with Howard
-Magic are now in third place in the SE, behind Miami (6-1) and Atlanta (6-2)
Here is the complete box score and recap from nba.com
The Magic had their only lead of the game at 9-7, as the Cavaliers shot 65% in the first quarter to lead 35-28. The Cavaliers extended their lead to 57-42 in the second quarter before settling for a 66-51 halftime lead. The Cavaliers continued to extend their lead in the second half, leading 88-68 after three quarters and had their largest lead of 92-70 early in the fourth quarter.
Magic leading scorers
Vince Carter: 29 points (11 of 23 FGs), 5 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 19 points (8 of 15 FGs), 5 assists
Dwight Howard: 11 points (3 of 3 FGs), 7 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 10 points (3 of 7 FGs)
Overall Game Statistics
FG%: CLE 48.1% (37 of 77) ORL 45.1% (37 of 82)
3 PT FG%: CLE 71.4% (10 of 14) ORL 22.2% (4 of 18)
FT%: CLE 78.3% (18 of 23) ORL 60% (15 of 25)
REB: CLE 42 (6 offensive) ORL 37 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: CLE 12/14 ORL 9/10
BENCH: ORL 18 CLE 10
Other game notes and stats:
-LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 36 points, along with 8 rebounds; Mo Williams scored 28 points with 6 assists
-Williams scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half, and made all 9 shots
-Shaquille O'Neal added 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks
-Magic shot just 15 of 42 in the second half
-Matt Barnes and Brandon Bass, the Magic's starting forwards, each scored 8 points with 4 rebounds
-Howard picked up 3 fouls in the first quarter, attempted just 3 shots in 31 minutes, and was 5 of 12 on free throws
-James and Williams combined to shoot 25 of 43
-The Cavaliers' bench combined to shoot 2 of 15
-The Magic bench combined to shoot 7 of 21
-Marcin Gortat led the Magic with 8 rebounds, and started the second half along with Howard
-Magic are now in third place in the SE, behind Miami (6-1) and Atlanta (6-2)
Here is the complete box score and recap from nba.com
posted by Mike from Illinois @ 11:45 PM
8 Comments:
At 2:50 AM,
Mike from Illinois said…
No doubt, Cleveland was the better team Wednesday night, and deserved the win.
LeBron James was not a one-man team, like he was in the playoff series against the Magic last season. Mo Williams was outstanding, in addition to James, and the rest of the Cavs' starters, including Shaq, were steady and did a nice job.
Only Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson had decent games for the Magic. The other Magic players were mediocre or awful. Mickael Pietrus, with 0 points in 24 minutes, has got to start playing like the Pietrus we saw in last season's playoffs.
Lack of defense the story again for the Magic, and the Cavs had a brilliant game plan, going at Howard right away and getting him in foul trouble. That seemed to really frustrate the Magic, as their outside shooting just wasn't there, especially from long range. Also, Howard had only 3 shot attempts in 31 1/2 minutes. He was fouled on 6 other attempts, but made only 5 of the 12 free throws.
Even though the Magic are in third place in the SE, I am not going to panic. The Magic were without two key players (Rashard Lewis and Ryan Anderson). Lewis will be back next week, and hopefully Anderson shortly thereafter. After a few weeks of getting acclimated playing with Lewis, and with a healthy Anderson and Vince Carter, who is just coming off the sprained ankle, things will be a lot better and a lot smoother for the Magic than the rough stretch they're going through now (3 losses in 6 games).
After the Lewis suspension was announced in August, I was hoping the Magic would finish around 7-3 the first ten games. If they can beat a winless NJ team Friday, they will be 7-3 despite Lewis's suspension and the other injuries that have played havoc with the player rotation.
At 1:41 PM,
Matt said…
First, why is it that we attract the lowest of the lows of non-Magic fans with minor exceptions? We don't need these nonsensical posts to figure out what is wrong with the Magic. Magic needs to have Rashard back and VC at full force, and then focus on perimeter defense. Magic's defense last night had more holes than the Swiss cheese. Magic backcourt was abused by DET backcourt, as well. I don't care for Jameer's offense since there are plenty of scorers on this team. He should be able to hold his own on defense. Mo Williams was kept in check in the playoffs, but last night he penetrated at will and took shots any time he wanted. That is unacceptable. We are talking about Magic's depth, and last night against a team that is not blowing anybody out of the water, we looked awful. MP is not in proper rotation; he needs to start instead of Matt Barnes especially if there is an intention to play Rashard at PF, although I am for either Bass or Anderson starting at PF. There were three games that were totally unacceptable from a team which expects to play for championship again; CLE, OKC and DET. I am willing to give SVG the benefit of the doubt for ten games after Rashard comes back, but that is the limit of my patience.
At 2:05 PM,
Big Figure said…
Yea matt i agree,im giving the team/SVG the benefit of doubt as well. With an incomplete team roles change and guys put to much pressure on themselves to perform,but we cannot play our style of basketball with two low post presence's on the floor. Howard and bass have to start games and that combo clearly isnt a good one,without rashard or anderson i think SVG needs to give some thought to starting matt barnes at PF and returning pietrus to the starting line-up. Now he may not do that because there's only one game left till rashard is back,the magic should be able to beat a winless NJ no matter what line-up they put out there seeing as how dwight is a gonna wanna have a bad game/foul trouble redemption.
At 6:24 PM,
Mike from Illinois said…
I deleted the offensive/nonsensical comments.
Otherwise, some good thoughts by you guys.
Nelson may have had a decent night offensively, but his defense was awful, as Matt said.
From reading the various post-game recaps, SVG is really unhappy with the team defense, and he wants Howard and Nelson, as captains, to step up their play defensively.
I would imagine that when Lewis comes back, he would start at PF, because Van Gundy likes how he spreads the floor from the 4, and he likes his defense there, too.
At 7:04 PM,
Big Figure said…
You know mike,im not so sure that will be where rashard plays. When ryan anderson comes back,he might be our new PF and rashard might get moved over to the SF. After watching everything RA brings to the table i think he's our best option at PF. Rashard needs to be able to dominate and he can do that at SF. I just like the idea of 6ft10 SF (RL),6ft10 PF (RA) and 6ft11 C (DH),might be wishfull thinking on my part but i dont really like what MB or MP bring to the table as starters. MP proved last year he's better suited to come off the bench for us,we need some bench pop anyway and he provides that and never complain's. MB's game is a hustle game and he doesnt really create his own shot,he needs to come off the bench also. I had no idea RA was gonna be able to handle the ball so well,for that i like him as a starter because he does all the things rashard can do and he's a little tougher than rashard having been a PF/C in college.
At 7:10 PM,
Big Figure said…
JN,VC,RL,RA and DH i beleive is our best line-up. 6ft,6ft7,6ft10,6ft10,6ft11,we actually gain a few inches at SG as CL was about 6ft4 and everything else is the same as last years team height wise.
At 7:50 PM,
Mike from Illinois said…
What you say makes sense, Big Figure; but what about defensively, though? If Lewis starts at SF, can he hang defensively with some of the better small forwards?
Same thing for Anderson defensively... if he starts at PF, can he do the job on defense?
Knowing how much Van Gundy dwells on defense, my guess is he'll put the starting lineup out there that works best defensively.
At 3:51 PM,
Matt said…
I think that Rashard is more effective defensively at SF due to his length but probably his offense would suffer due to quickness of defending SFs. Alternately, RA and BB would be offense-defense interchange at PF, and I personally like the attributes of both; BB being a solid defender and good short range shooter while RA would do the same as RL does for DH by pulling the opposing PFs out.
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