Cavaliers at Magic
The Cleveland Cavaliers are still alive in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt after winning four of their last five games as they prepare to visit the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Leading scorer Kyrie Irving practiced Tuesday after missing eight games with a strained left biceps and could return to the lineup for the Cavaliers, who stand three games behind the eighth-place Atlanta Hawks. Cleveland can’t look past the Magic, who are 17-19 at home, before it travels to Atlanta on Friday.
While Irving could be back, the Cavaliers lost leading rebounder Anderson Varejao with a shoulder injury in the surprising 90-76 victory over Indiana on Sunday. Cleveland has been finding ways to win despite injuries, however, and faces only one team that currently owns a winning record in its last seven games. Orlando has dropped six in a row to the Cavaliers – three this season -- but has won two of its last three against playoff-bound teams.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (30-45): Irving has not played since March 16 and Dion Waiters stepped up to average 22 points in the eight games since, raising his season mark to 15.4 – second on the team. Jarrett Jack has also picked it up with Irving on the shelf, averaging 15 points and 5.8 assists in more than 37 minutes – almost nine more than his average. Tristan Thompson boasts double-doubles in three of his last six games for the Cavaliers, who will have to make up for Varejao’s missing 10 rebounds.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (21-53): Orlando turned the ball over 19 times to lose 98-93 to Toronto despite shooting 55 percent on Sunday after earning victories over Portland and Charlotte at home. Guard Victor Oladipo is finishing strong for the Magic in his quest for Rookie of the Year honors, averaging 14.9 points and 5.2 assists over the last 10 games. Forward Tobias Harris has been making a strong case to be a big part of the team’s future, scoring 16.9 points in March with six games of 20 points or more.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Cleveland C Spencer Hawes has made 115 shots from 3-point range and is the only 7-footer in the top 25 in the league in percentage behind the arc (40.8).
2. Magic G Arron Afflalo leads the team in scoring at 18.9 points but shot only 40.6 percent from the field in March.
3. Thompson is the only Cavalier to play and start in all 75 games this season, extending his streak of opening the game on the floor to 182.