Magic vs. Cavaliers Preview
Cleveland, OH (AP) – The Orlando Magic’s new additions seem to be paying dividends on the offensive end, but an improved defensive effort has been just as critical to their success during a three-game winning streak.
There’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to keep clamping down against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to NBA odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Magic 7-point spread favorites for Tuesday’s game against the Cavaliers. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 81% of more than 156 bets for this game have been placed on the Magic -7.
The Magic look for a fourth straight victory Tuesday night as they wrap up a brief two-game road trip against the Cavaliers, who haven’t scored 100 points in regulation in more than a month.
Orlando (19-12) expected Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richardson to provide a shot in the arm offensively after acquiring them Dec. 18. The trio is now finding its footing, shooting a combined 46.4 percent during the team’s three consecutive wins after connecting at a 24.5-percent clip in two losses.
Coach Stan Van Gundy was just as disturbed by the Magic’s defensive struggles during a 1-8 stretch Dec. 4-21. Orlando seems to have corrected those issues. After allowing 97.7 points per game in that nine-game rut, the Magic have surrendered an average of 89.0 during their modest winning streak.
Orlando held Boston to 34.6-percent shooting during a Christmas Day victory, then limited New Jersey to 39.7 percent Monday while Hedo Turkoglu scored 20 points in a 104-88 win.
“(Our defense) tried hard in the second half,” Van Gundy said. “We still have a long way to go there, but they’ve done a little bit better job than what I’ve expected.”
If anything, the Cavaliers (8-22) have probably done even less than expected in their first season of the post-LeBron James era. After losing 21 times all of last season with James, Cleveland suffered loss No. 22 without him Sunday, falling 98-97 at home to woeful Minnesota.
The Cavaliers couldn’t hold a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter as they lost for the 13th time in 14 games.
“This one stings a little bit more, probably than any one all season,” coach Byron Scott said. “We were almost scared to win the game. When you want to win the game, you have to go and take it. That’s the bottom line.”
Predictably, Cleveland’s biggest problem without James has been finding enough offense to remain competitive. The Cavaliers are shooting an NBA-worst 41.0 percent in December, and haven’t scored 100 points in regulation since a 111-100 loss at Orlando on Nov. 26.
Scott, however, was hardly doing back flips after a performance against the Magic that led Van Gundy to deem his team’s defensive effort “absolutely terrible.” Cleveland’s coach ripped into the game’s officials after watching Dwight Howard shoot 24 free throws – four more than the Cavaliers attempted.
“It’s hard when you’re playing against eight people. There are five white jerseys and three with stripes. It’s hard to play against all of them out there,” said Scott, who was fined $35,000.
The Magic have won three straight in the series since last season’s All-Star break largely thanks to Jameer Nelson, who has averaged 18.3 points and 6.3 assists in the victories.
Cleveland point guard Mo Williams has averaged 19.2 points and 11.4 assists while posting five consecutive double-doubles. He has one double-double in 21 career games against the Magic.
The Cavaliers might really need to rely on Williams on Tuesday. Guard Daniel Gibson, the team’s third-leading scorer behind Williams and Antawn Jamison, is questionable with the flu, and has scored 4.8 points per game in his career versus Orlando – his lowest average against any opponent.
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