Magic-Cavaliers Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Apr 15 2012 12:07AM

Without injured star Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic might have a tough time extending their recent stretch of success against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Minus their All-Star center for a fourth straight game, the visiting Magic look for a ninth consecutive win over the Cavaliers on Sunday night.

Orlando officials announced Saturday that Howard will again sit out because of a herniated disc. He was examined this weekend by a doctor in Los Angeles, leaving no timetable for his return.

Howard, who missed only two games because of injury in his previous seven seasons, has sat five of the last seven. The Magic (34-25) have dropped four of the five without their superstar, including the last two to Washington and Atlanta by a combined 36 points.

The Magic have lost seven of nine overall to drop to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings.

"We have to have a better mindset by going forward - no excuses," guard J.J. Redick said. "In order to be a lot better, we have to figure out a way to play defense better. Because obviously we're going to miss having Dwight on that end of the floor a lot."

The Wizards and Hawks shot a combined 50.3 percent against the Magic this week, while Orlando made 37.6 percent of its shots in those two defeats. Glen Davis and Von Wafer each had 16 points Friday, but the Magic went 6 for 28 from 3-point range in a 109-81 home loss to Atlanta.

"(We) just didn't bring anything to the game," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We didn't run back, we didn't get matched up. (Atlanta) got too many easy shots. ... It was a defensive problem that became an offensive problem."

Despite Orlando's recent struggles, Davis has averaged 18.7 points and 11.4 rebounds in seven games since entering the starting lineup, although he certainly doesn't have the defensive presence of Howard - the three-time reigning NBA defensive player of the year.

Orlando has had little problem at either end of the floor during an eight-game winning streak over Cleveland, which dates to a 115-106 road loss Feb. 11, 2010. The Magic, whose average margin of victory during that streak is 10.8 points, won both meetings this season by a combined 21.

Howard, though, has averaged 20.3 points, 14.1 rebounds and 3.6 blocks in the last eight matchups.

Ryan Anderson has averaged 17.3 points in the last four games versus Cleveland, but he's totaled 13 on 4-of-22 shooting in the last two overall - hitting 1 of 15 from beyond the arc.

Playing their second of three games in three nights Saturday, the Cavaliers (20-38) avoided a third consecutive loss with a 98-89 win at Washington.

Without starters Kyrie Irving (shoulder) and Antawn Jamison (rest), Cleveland shot 51.5 percent. Luke Harangody had 16 points and 10 rebounds in a call-up from Canton of the NBA Development League.

Irving, the 2011 top overall pick averaging 18.8 points, 5.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds, will miss an eighth straight contest Sunday.

Harangody, who played for Canton on Friday and will again Sunday, made the most of his one-night audition as an NBA starter.

"This is a beginning for a lot of our guys," veteran Anthony Parker said. "It can carry over for where it takes them in the next couple of years."

Magic defeat Cavs, clinch playoff spot with win

Posted Apr 15 2012 11:59PM

CLEVELAND (AP) The Orlando Magic realize they have a long road ahead of them, but they chose to enjoy a moment of celebration Sunday night.

Orlando clinched a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 100-84 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, a win that allowed coach Stan Van Gundy and his players to briefly forget about their team's growing injury list, which seems to expand by the day.

"A lot of these guys have been in the playoffs every year and you can take it for granted, but it's nice to have it done with six games left," Van Gundy said. "This was a really, really, really good win for us. Tonight was very satisfying."

Jameer Nelson scored 21 points and Orlando led from wire-to-wire despite the continued absence of Dwight Howard, who missed his fourth straight game with a herniated disk in his back. Van Gundy said before the game he's preparing to play the rest of the regular season and the playoffs without his star center, who is averaging 20.6 points and 14.5 rebounds.

Forward Hedo Turkoglu (facial fracture) has missed the last five games, leading Van Gundy to say he would consider it a bonus if the two players are available for the postseason.

Orlando took another injury hit in the first quarter when Glen Davis, who had played well at center with Howard sidelined, sustained a sprained right knee and didn't return. He will undergo a further examination Monday prior to the Magic's home game with Philadelphia.

"He hyperextended his knee, so my guess would be that he'd not play," Van Gundy said. "I haven't been told anything officially, though."

"Nobody got discouraged or rattled when "Big Baby" went down," Nelson said. "We just executed well, and when we take care of the basketball, we get good shots."

While Orlando could go into the playoffs without several key weapons, its players chose to feel good about themselves Sunday.

"We haven't had the best of luck with injuries, so this is great tonight," said forward Ryan Anderson. "Making the playoffs is big for us, but the way we did it was even better. Everybody stepped up and we played team basketball."

Jason Richardson added 16 points for Orlando, which had five players in double figures. J.J. Redick scored 13.

Antawn Jamison led the Cavaliers with 21 points. Donald Sloan scored a career-high 15.

Cleveland completed its only set of back-to-back-to-back games this season. The Cavaliers lost in Indiana on Friday and picked up a road win in Washington on Saturday. Cleveland coach Byron Scott admitted his team, which committed 18 turnovers, was dragging.

"I thought so, which is understandable," he said. "Our guys tried to fight through it and keep playing hard. You, all of a sudden, have a little bit of a lack of focus when you're tired. We don't use that as an excuse."

The Cavaliers again played without rookie point guard Kyrie Irving, who missed his 10th straight game with a sprained right shoulder. Scott ruled Irving out for Tuesday's game in Detroit, but added it's possible he'll return Wednesday night when Cleveland hosts Philadelphia.

Scott said there's "a chance that Kyrie doesn't come back this season, but I think there is a better chance that he plays."

It's uncertain if center Anderson Varejao will return this season. He hasn't played since sustaining a fractured right wrist on Feb. 10. Varejao's possible return remains up in the air because the coach said his wrist was "still sore, so we're going to have our doctors take a look at it in the next few days."

Orlando was in control throughout in the battle of short-handed teams in extending its winning streak over Cleveland to nine games. The Cavaliers scored 15 points in each of the first two quarters and shot 28.9 percent in the first half.

The Magic originally said Howard had back spasms, but an examination in Los Angeles revealed the disk injury. He will rest the injury for 10 days and will then be re-evaluated. Howard joined his teammates in Cleveland, but remained at the Magic's hotel during the game. He accompanied the team back to Orlando, where the Magic host Philadelphia on Monday.

Davis was injured when he went up for a shot and came down awkwardly on his right leg. He crumpled to the floor and was down for a couple of minutes. Davis walked with a noticeable limp to the locker room. He had six points and two rebounds in seven minutes.

Earl Clark and Daniel Orton filled in at center when Davis left the game. Clark scored a season-high 13 points while Orton added a career-high 11. Orton had appeared in only nine career games going into Sunday, playing 45 minutes with six points and 10 rebounds. He was Orlando's No. 1 pick in 2010, but didn't appear in a game last season and is technically a rookie.

Orton's performance was rewarded when Davis dumped water over his head in the locker room following the game.

"I got a little winded at times, but the adrenalin kept me going," Orton said.

NOTES: Anderson had a game-high 13 rebounds. ... The Magic haven't lost to the Cavaliers since Feb. 11, 2010, a 115-106 defeat in Cleveland. ... Moondog, the Cavaliers' floppy-eared mascot returned to the court. He sustained an eye injury after being accidentially punched in the mask by Indiana's David West on Wednesday.

Notebook: Magic 100, Cavaliers 84

Posted Sunday April 15, 2012 11:09PM

By Brian Dulik, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Point guard Jameer Nelson collected 21 points, seven rebounds, and a game-high nine assists in leading the Orlando Magic to a 100-84 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jason Richardson added 16 points and center Daniel Orton had a career-best 11 points and five steals for Orlando, which clinched a playoff berth with the win. The Magic led from wire to wire despite losing center Glen "Big Baby" Davis to a sprained right knee in the first quarter. Power forward Antawn Jamison paced Cleveland with 21 points and six assists, while point guard Donald Sloan had a career-high 15 points and five helpers.

QUOTABLE: "We haven't had the best of luck with injuries, so this is great tonight. Making the playoffs is big for us, but the way we did it was even better. Everybody stepped up and we played team basketball."
-- Magic power forward Ryan Anderson.

THE STAT: Orton set career highs in points (11), rebounds (four), assists (one), steals (five), blocked shots (three), and minutes (29) -- earning the rookie a postgame water shower from Davis. "It's a great feeling, knowing the guys have your back," a beaming Orton said. "We've got a great group of guys on this team." Orton was Orlando's first-round pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, but suffered a season-ending knee injury before appearing in a game. The Kentucky product entered the evening with six points and 45 minutes in nine career contests. "I got a little winded at times, but the adrenalin kept me going," Orton said.

TURNING POINT: Orlando scored 12 straight points late in the second quarter to turn its eight-point advantage into a 43-23 lead. Fourth-string center Earl Clark had two hoops during the run, while Nelson and J.J. Redick each buried deep 3-pointers. "Nobody got discouraged or rattled when 'Big Baby' went down," Nelson said. "We just executed well, and when we take care of the basketball, we get good shots." Clark finished the contest with a season-high 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting and a career-best three assists in 24 minutes. Orton and Clark combined for 24 points on 8-for-9 field goal attempts.

QUOTABLE II: "A lot of these guys have been in the playoffs every year and you can take it for granted, but it's nice to have it done with six games left. This was a really, really, really good win for us. Tonight was very satisfying."
-- Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy.

HOT: The Magic has won nine straight games over the Cavaliers, including the last four contests at Quicken Loans Arena. ... Though Davis did not return after being helped off the court with 4:53 left in the first, he was walking without a pronounced limp following the game. "He hyperextended his knee, so my guess would be that he'd not play tomorrow (against Philadelphia)," head coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I haven't been told anything officially, though." ... Chris Duhon served as Nelson's backup at the point, replacing Ish Smith, who had been filling the role. "We get better organization on the floor with Chris," Van Gundy explained. ... Anderson had nine points and a game-high 13 rebounds for Orlando. ... The Magic only made six turnovers. ... Cleveland shooting guard Manny Harris scored 10 points off the bench.

NOT: The Cavaliers went 1-2 in their lone back-to-back-to-back game set of the season. "Every team has had to play three games in a row, including us," Cleveland coach Byron Scott said. "It is what it is." ... Cavaliers rookie center Tristan Thompson shot 1-for-8 from the field and scored three points. The fourth overall pick in the NBA Draft also was completely outplayed by the seldom-used Orton and Clark. "Sometimes, there is just a lid on the basket," Thompson said. "I missed plenty of things around the rim that I've made throughout the season." ... Cleveland power forward Luke Walton went scoreless with five turnovers and two fouls in 14 minutes. ... The Cavaliers are 4-16 in their last 20 games and now have the fifth-worst record in the NBA.

QUOTABLE III: "Everybody's body feels beat up and is tired from the season, but it's about mind over body. We have to challenge ourselves and mentally try to push through these last couple of games."
-- Jamison

GOOD MOVE: Van Gundy showed no hesitation in putting Orton into the game, sending him to the scorer's table while Davis was still writhing on the court in front of the Magic bench. The embattled coach also deftly substituted Clark in and out of the action, keeping both centers as fresh as possible. "The guys in the locker room are really happy for Daniel and Earl right now, especially Daniel because this was his first big opportunity," Van Gundy said. "It's great to see a team that gets happy for guys like that. I just thought this was a great team effort."

BAD MOVE: Scott gave Jamison the night off Saturday in Washington, hoping it would recharge his batteries. The strategy failed as the 35-year-old missed eight of his first 10 shots against Orlando and was dominated on the glass by Anderson. "I can't imagine playing Friday, Saturday and today, but everyone goes through it," said Jamison, who had five rebounds, four turnovers and five fouls. "It was tough tonight. Even though I didn't play (yesterday), I was still winded." Jamison will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

NOTABLE: Van Gundy said the Magic is preparing to play the remainder of the regular season and playoffs without center Dwight Howard (herniated disk, lower back) and small forward Hedo Turkoglu (facial fracture). "If they do come back, we'll look at having Dwight or Hedo as a bonus," the coach said. Howard traveled to Cleveland after being diagnosed with the injury Friday in Los Angeles, but remained at the team's downtown hotel during the game. ... Orlando assistant coach Mark Price -- one of the top players in Cavaliers history -- received the loudest ovation of the night. The No. 25 that the All-NBA point guard wore in Cleveland now hangs in the rafters at Quicken Loans Arena. "Mark isn't a very vocal guy, but when he tells you something, he means it," Nelson said. "He's a true legend, so I appreciate it when he points out something that he sees in my game." ... Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (right shoulder sprain) will have his status updated Tuesday in Detroit, while Scott revealed that center Anderson Varejao (right wrist fracture) is still experiencing soreness two full months after being injured by Bucks center Drew Gooden. ... Cleveland mascot Moondog, who was accidentally punched in the snout by Pacers power forward David West four days earlier, performed his usual on-court antics. Moondog suffered a legitimate eye injury during the pregame incident, forcing him to seek immediate medical treatment and miss the Indiana contest. The furry, floppy-eared, canine character was given a clean bill of health and cleared to return.

UP NEXT: For the Magic, Monday vs. Philadelphia, Wednesday @ Boston, Saturday @ Utah. For the Cavaliers, Tuesday @ Detroit, Wednesday vs. Philadelphia, Friday vs. New York.

• Magic: Howard, Turkoglu
• Cavaliers: Erden, Harangody

• Magic: --
• Cavaliers: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
• Officials: #12 Violet Palmer, #9 Derrick Stafford, #28 Tommy Nunez Jr.
• Attendance: 16305
• Duration: 2:04