Cavaliers hold off Orlando to win fourth straight 136-131

BY TIM SHIRER

CAVS BEAT WRITER

(CLEVELAND, OH) - The Cleveland Cavaliers (45-27, 23-13 home) entered Tuesday night’s game with the visiting Orlando Magic (38-34, 16-18 road) at Rocket Arena winners of three games in a row, all on the road. The last win of the trip came in New Orleans on Saturday night in comeback fashion 111-106.

The two teams entered the game with the Cavs leading the season series 2-1. Orlando won the last meeting on March 11 in Orlando 128-122. Tonight, the Cavaliers were still without Jarrett Allen who missed his ninth straight game with Right Knee Tendonitis, but the Cavs prevailed 136-101 winning their fourth straight game.

The Magic got off to a hot start taking and 8-2 lead, but Donovan Mitchell hit a three with 10:13 remaining to cut the lead to 8-5. Even Mobley then trimmed the lead to 8-7 with 9:41 remaining. With 6:18 left in the opening quarter Orlando took a 19-15 lead and Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson took a timeout. With 3:13 remaining, the Magic took a 29-23 lead when Paolo Banchero drained a three. The Cavs cut the Magic lead to one point at 29-28 with 2:18 left when Keon Ellis stole the ball and then Thomas Bryant hit him for the dunk at the other end. Orlando called a timeout in an attempt to squash the Cavs momentum. As time ran out in the opening quarter the Magic led 39-32. Banchero led all scorers with 16 points. James Harden led the Cavs with 10 points. The Magic outrebounded the Cavs 10-6 in the first 12 minutes.

With 1:34 gone in the second quarter, the Cavs cut the lead to 41-39 when Bryant dunked and was fouled. The Cavs took their first lead of the game 49-47 with 7:34 left in the second quarter when Harden drained a three. Then Harden extended the Cleveland lead to 52-47 with another three with 6:42 left and Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley had seen enough and called a timeout. As time ran out in the first half the Cavs led 72-68 courtesy of a three with :00.1 remaining by Harden and he was fouled on the play by Banchero. Harden finished the half with a game high of 22 points. Banchero led the Magic with 21 points. The Cavs shot a blistering 66% (27 of 41) from the field in the opening half while the Magic shot 52% (23 of 44). The Cavs also shot well from long range at 50% (8 of 16) while Orlando shot 42% (8 of 19). Orlando entered the game as the worst three point shooting team in the NBA. The Cavs were also a miraculous 10 for 10 from the free throw line. Orlando did outrebound the Cavs 19-13 in the first 24 minutes.

The Cavs came out hot to start the third quarter and their lead grew to 78-68 with 10:47 left and Orlando needed an early timeout. With 8:58 left in the period Wendell Carter, Jr. cut the Cleveland lead to 81-76 with a three from the corner. The Cavs lead was back to 10 just 48 seconds later when Mitchell hit a three from the top of the arc. With 5:19 left in the quarter the Cavs lead had dwindled to just two points at 89-87. At the 3:40 mark the Cavs lead was back at five points when Harden drained a three. The Cavs led 102-95 with 1:59 remaining when Mitchell drained another three, his third of the game. With 22 seconds left in the quarter, the Cavs lead was back at double digits when Mitchell scored in the paint and was fouled by Jett Howard. Mitchell led all scorers with 32 points at the end of three. Banchero paced the Magic with 29 as the Magic trailed 105-97. The Cavs continued to shoot well at 65% (39 of 60) and Orlando was at 50% (31 of 62). The Cavs won the rebounding battle in the third quarter 11-8 but still trailed 27-24 for the game.

The game remained close as the Magic cut the Cavs lead to 119-114 with 6:32 left in regulation. However, the Cavs scored the next four points to take a 123-114 lead with 5:19 left. The game remained close, but with 2:58 left Mitchell scored to give the Cavs a nine-point lead. Tristan Da Silva answered with a three cutting the Cavs lead to six points with 2:46 left. With :18.9 left the Cavs lead was down to three at 131-128 and Atkinson called a timeout. After the timeout with :13.7 left Mitchell scored in the paint and the Cavs led 133-128. When the clock ran out the Cavs held on for the win 136-131.

Mitchell led all scorers with 42 points, Harden finished with 26 points and seven assists. Mobley had 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Banchero led the Magic with 36 points in the defeat.

The Cavs shot 61% (49 of 81) for the game from the field while Orlando shot 49% (41 of 84). The Cavs also out shot the Magic from long range 40% (12 of 30) to 36% (14 of 39). Cleveland finally put a nice game together from the free throw line shooting 90% (26 of 29) while the Magic shot 92% (35 of 38). The Magic did outrebound the Cavs 39-33. Cleveland obliterated the Magic in the paint 62-28. Both benches scored 28 points apiece.

The Cavs will have no rest, as tomorrow night they play the second game of the back-to-back when they host the Miami Heat (38-34, 15-20 road) at 7:30 pm. The two teams have split the first two meetings this year. They will also play again on Friday night in Cleveland again at 7:30 pm.