KeyBank Keys to the Game: Cavs vs Magic

The Cavaliers two-game stay concludes on Friday night, welcoming in the Magic and hoping to run their win streak at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to six games after blasting the Sixers on Wednesday. 

After a relatively rough weekend on the road, dropping two of three, the Wine & Gold flexed their muscles in Wednesday’s homecoming, stifling a Sixers squad that ran the table on them one year ago. Cleveland improved to 9-1 on its home floor, shooting 61 percent from the floor on the night, including 52 percent from three-point range. In the second quarter, the Cavs missed exactly one shot – going 16-for-17 from the floor, including 5-of-5 from deep, netting 44 points in the period. Philly never made a serious run after intermission. 

The Magic come into tonight’s contest with a league-worst 5-17 mark and riding a six-game skid, including a 17-point loss to the Hawks on Wednesday night in Orlando. The Magic got Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony back from injuries and got a combined 42 points from their promising young frontcourt of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but allowed Atlanta to shoot 54 percent and got crushed on the boards. 

The Cavaliers have won three of their last four over Orlando, including a 103-92 decision in late October – getting big nights from Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. These two teams don’t face each other again until Cleveland closes out its road schedule for the season – playing two straight in the Magic Kingdom in early April.

The Magic might be having a difficult season, but their rookie forward taken with the top pick last June has been as good (or better) than advertised. 

Paolo Banchero looks like a seasoned vet – coming into tonight’s game averaging 22.7ppg on the season. The former Duke star dropped 30-plus in back-to-back contests before missing seven games with an ankle injury, and has picked up right where he left off since his return. He’s gone for 20-plus in each of his last two outings and has nine on the season – including a 29-point effort against the Cavs in October, adding eight boards, four assists and a pair of swats. 

Evan Mobley posted one of his six 20-point nights against Orlando – going 9-of-15 from the floor in that win. On the year, the consistent Mobley is averaging 15.0 points and 9.0 boards, doubling-up in two of his last three outings, with six on the season overall.  

The Cavaliers bench needed to have a good night, and – led by Caris LeVert – they did.

LeVert had been struggling from the floor before injuring his ankle and went 2-for-9 against Toronto in his return on Monday. But on Wednesday night, the 7^th-year man found his rhythm – finishing with 22 points, his best offensive night since a 21-point effort back on November 9, going 8-of-11 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, adding six boards, four assists and a steal in 33 minutes off the bench.

With Kevin Love still nursing a thumb injury, the Cavaliers got some much-needed production from Isaac Okoro, who went 5-of-7 from the floor for 11 points, adding five boards and a team-best three steals. 

Cedi Osman – who led all reserves with 14 points in Cleveland’s October win over Orlando – pitched in with nine points and five rebounds against Philly. 

In that October contest, Bol Bol came off the bench to lead all reserves – and the Magic – with 10 boards to go with nine points and a pair of blocks. And in his first year in Orlando, the 4^th-year man is having the best season of his career, averaging 13.1ppg and 7.8rpg with six double-doubles – shooting 60 percent from the floor, including 41 percent from long-range. 

With Bol moving into the starting lineup, the Magic get most of their bench firepower from Terrance Ross and Cole Anthony.