Recap: Cavs 107, Magic 93 (or, Bench Pressed)

Just a day after being clean-and-jerked off their own floor by the Detroit Pistons, the Cleveland Cavaliers returned to flex some muscle against a road weary Orlando Magic squad. With a bit more Love, a lot more bench and some significant pressing on both ends of the floor, the Cavs raised the bar early in the paint then went deep with their reps to finish off the Magic.

The starting unit was bolstered by the return of Kevin Love from rest management (16 points and 14 rebounds), and benefitted from strong nights by Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman and Larry Nance, Jr., but it was the bench that really helped carry the weight. Led by an unusually efficient Jordan Clarkson (18 points on nine shots, and a team leading +20 in 27 minutes), they dominated Orlando’s bench 46-13, and sparked two massive scoring runs in the game to tilt the outcome.

Speaking of efficiency… the Cavs clearly had an inside out approach to attacking the Magic from the outset. They shot nearly 60% in the first quarter, moving the ball for high percentage shots either on the perimeter or down low. Sexton was particularly flashy with his speed, pressuring his way to nine first quarter points. The Young Bull went 5-7 in the first half, and might have done even more damage if not for picking up three early fouls. Clarkson and Osman chipped in to help Sexton fuel a 9-0 Cavs run towards end of the period for an early wine & gold lead, 29-24.

💨 @CollinSexton02 goes end to end in a blur! 💨#CavsMagic | #BeTheFight

WATCH: https://t.co/edNiKYRzg9 pic.twitter.com/uOZ8X18ZZp

— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) March 3, 2019

The bench faltered initially to kick off the second quarter, as the Magic ripped off their own 10-0 run to take the lead, forcing a Larry Drew rage timeout (okay, that’s a misnomer since I’m not sure Larry Drew has ever been enraged). Something must have clicked with Nik Stauskas in the huddle though, since he came out and went all Sauce Castillo on the Magic with a five point retort of his own… punctuated by a massive dunk off a sweet dime from… wait… Jordan Clarkson?!

.@NStauskas11 just got the @cavs bench FIRED UP! 🔥😂#CavsMagic | #BeTheFight

WATCH: https://t.co/edNiKYRzg9 pic.twitter.com/oKYw6uYYE8

— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) March 3, 2019

This outburst led to a 9-0 run by Cavs, and a 17-2 overall burst once Kevin Love and Matthew Dellavedova dropped a couple of bombs from deep. In general, the Cavs weren’t shy about taking the three ball… even though they went just 5-19 from beyond the arc in the first half. Yet, the lackadaisical Magic defense allowed 30 Cavalier points in the paint to offset the perimeter misfires. About the only thing keeping Orlando in the game was All-Star Center, Nikola Vucevic (28 points, 13 boards and six assists), with his uncanny accuracy on his shot put-esque hooks and turnaround jumpers. Cavs held a 52-48 advantage at the half.

The Magic D came out noticeably tougher to start the second half. Coach Steve Clifford must have gotten into his team’s ear to get their tired rear ends into gear, as they forced the Cavs into turnovers and began contesting shots at the rim. Orlando rode a 10-0 run to outscore the Cavalier starters 20-8 in the first eight plus minutes of the third. But then… it was Delly time. Matty D nailed a 27-foot Delly Trey to stop the bleeding, and then found David Nwaba for a pair of nifty buckets to pull the Cavs to 72-67 to end the quarter.

A good time for a Delly trey!#CavsMagic | #BeTheFight

STREAM: https://t.co/edNiKYRzg9 pic.twitter.com/EbjgSSJf9F

— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) March 4, 2019

The bench onslaught continued into the fourth, as Delly hit another trey and JC followed his lead to help complete a 17-0 Cavs run to turn a nine point deficit into an eight point lead. Evan Fournier and D.J. Augustin helped bring the Magic back to even, but the Cavs then had four guys hit five straight three point attempts (bookended by Cedi Osman)… with the Jedi’s last one being essentially the game sealing dagger.

CEDI!!!!!!!!#CavsMagic | #BeTheFight

WATCH: https://t.co/edNiKYRzg9 pic.twitter.com/sKziReEC6L

— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) March 4, 2019

In all, the Cavs nailed 7-10 threes in the fourth quarter, nearly doubling up the Magic with a 40-21 final frame as they closed out the scoring with multiple trips to the line. Cavs win 107-93.

The Evil

A win is a win… even if it comes at the expense of a road-weary and somewhat unfocused playoff bubble team like the Magic. But, it did seem as if the combination of travel, three games in four nights, and the letdown after winning big games against the Warriors and Pacers might have played a large part in Orlando’s vulnerability level in this one.

Granted, they’re still short the majority of their big men (Ante Zizic, Tristan Thompson, John Henson), but he Cavs had no real answer for Nik Vucevic in the middle. It was surprising the Magic didn’t actually feed their Center even more than they did.

Despite Marqese Chriss’ +15 on the night (certainly the beneficiary of sharing the court with JC, Delly, Sauce and Nwaba on their runs), it’s pretty clear Queso has returned to earth a bit… along with his trade partner Brandon Knight. Neither guy did much to inspire a lot of confidence on either side of the ball, and they were a combined 2-9 (0-5 from deep) from the field. Not saying we shouldn’t hold out hope for improvement, but holding your breath is inadvisable. Quese did have one highlight defensively though that I’ll include if for no other reason than to annoy Nate…

SHEESH. @quese #BeTheFight on @FOXSportsOH pic.twitter.com/2O9k8dWhEG

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 4, 2019

Terence Ross… Yikes! The normally deadly Magic bench shooter could have built himself a small shed with all the bricks he threw up. He went 1-12 including 0-6 from downtown for a mind-boggling -28 in 29 minutes.

If you’re a fan of ping-pong balls, the Cavs knocking off a prospective playoff team for their 16th win of the season might feel like a bit of a weight on your chest.

The Genius

As mentioned, Clarkson was in rare Capt. Band Aid form. He took smart shots for the most part… he was efficient… he shot 3-6 on threes… and, he even dished two dimes. Efficient JC is the kind of JC you want to see stick around to be the sixth man on a contending team in the future. Let’s hope it’s a trend in the right direction.

There’s no two ways about it… the Cavs are a completely different team when Kevin Love plays. Yes, the competition hasn’t been scintillating… but the team is now 5-2 (when he’s played) since his return. It’s not just the record though… the team’s effort and joy also increase exponentially when Kev is on the court. He didn’t shoot particularly well tonight (3-11, 3-8 from deep), but he still rebounded like a beast and got to the line for points (7-8).

Collin Sexton was a terrific spark plug in the first quarter, and had an impactful game all around with 17 points on 6-11 shooting. He had a really nice left handed finish on a drive around Vucevic, and showed off his preternatural speed consistently. His three ball wasn’t falling as much (1-4) and he had some turnover issues (5), but otherwise a solid outing.

Nance, Cedi and Delly all had moments they helped carry the team. LNJ with his defense and timely board work, Cedi with his all around stat stuffing and Delly with his savvy veteran leadership. All three hit double digits and all three nailed crucial threes… including one that stopped the bleeding in the third (Delly) and one that iced the game (Cedi).

Aside from his Sauce-some Nik-name, Nik Stauskas has been a veritable non-factor for the bulk of his Cavalier tenure… however… Sauce Castillo flashed when needed tonight. His trey and follow up slam helped change the momentum when the game was about to get away from the Cavs in the second quarter.

Parting Shot

It’s been a while since I’ve written a full recap of a game, which is not by design… though it’s certainly been a dismal season to detail at various points. Yet, with all of that, I have to say I’m really starting to enjoy this team. With Love back in the fold, there’s a real sense of hope for the future and promise of growth for these young guys that genuinely is fostering a baseline for what might be ahead. A return to meaningful basketball might not be so far away as it once appeared… especially now that this nucleus is starting to raise the bar of what’s possible.

GO CAVS!