Cavaliers at Magic
Kyrie Irving set an NBA season high for points in his last outing but Cleveland probably won’t need another 57-point performance from the star guard when it visits the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Irving set a franchise record as the Cavaliers posted a 128-125 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. “That kid is special,” forward LeBron James told reporters. “We all know it, we all see it, and for him to go out and put up a performance like he did was incredible.”
Irving had a 55-point outing against Portland earlier this season and he upped that total by breaking James’ club mark of 56. “Shots were going in, I was getting open,” Irving told reporters. “I was open a few times, a few of those shots they just left my hands and I just kind of threw them up at the rim and I was just lucky enough and blessed enough that they went in.” Orlando lost to Boston 95-88 on Friday and has lost its last nine meetings with the Cavaliers.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (42-25): Power forward Kevin Love continues to under perform and is finding himself on the bench in the closing minutes of tight games. “Everything is easier when you’re winning,” Love told reporters. “So you can have some really good games, and then some tough times. The rotation might be different but as long as you’re winning, it kind of makes up for everything and that’s kind of the way it’s been here.” Love had only eight points on 2-of-10 shooting in the win against San Antonio.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (21-46): Orlando is 6-9 since James Borrego replaced Jacque Vaughn as coach, and he insists his team is getting better. “You keep doing it, you build confidence, you step up the next time and you grow,” Borrego told reporters. “There’s no magic pill here, there’s no magic scheme, there’s no magic defense, there’s no magic offense right here.” Despite the improvement, the Magic went 0-3 on the just-concluded road trip and go right back on the road for two games after the contest against the Cavaliers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Cleveland held the Magic to an average of 81.5 points while winning this season’s first two meetings.
2. Orlando PG Elfrid Payton has strung together five straight double-digit outings and is averaging 15.4 points during the stretch.
3. Cavaliers F Shawn Marion (hip) is expected to miss his 13th straight game.