Magic at Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers may be in the midst of their big run to separate from the rest of the Eastern Conference with eight victories in 10 games. The Cavaliers look to continue that roll and their dominance over the vastly-improved Orlando Magic, who pay a visit on Saturday after dropping the first two meetings this season by a combined 49 points.
LeBron James poured in 34 points as Cleveland defeated Denver on Tuesday for its second straight triumph and he should have Kyrie Irving by his side Saturday. Irving sat out two of the last three games in the second of back-to-backs while he recovers from a fractured kneecap. The Magic fell to Washington for the 11th straight time on Friday 103-91 and will try to snap a 12-game losing streak against the Cavaliers. Orlando, which is only six wins shy of last season’s total (25) in just 33 games, is still 7-3 in its last 10 contests and is led by All Star-worthy center Nikola Vucevic (17.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 52.8 percent shooting).
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Ohio (Cleveland)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (19-14): Guard Victor Oladipo snapped out of a slump with a team-high 20 points on Friday after averaging 6.7 and shooting 26.4 percent over the previous six games. Vucevic contributed 14 points – the first time in eight games he has been under 20 – and Tobias Harris notched his eighth double-double of the season by scoring 13 and grabbing 10 boards. Starting point guard Elfrid Payton has been fighting illness and an ankle injury the last three games while managing to score just nine points in 51 minutes combined.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (21-9): Irving had his best game since returning -- in between two games he was rested -- by scoring 22 against Phoenix in a 101-97 victory last Monday, but is shooting only 34 percent overall. Irving’s infusion will eventually create more room for James (25.7 points) and Kevin Love (16.7) while spurring an offense that has averaged only 99.7 points – 21st in the league through Thursday. Irving’s appearance limits the playing time of guard Mo Williams, who is averaging 11.4 points overall – only 6.7 in December.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Orlando C Jason Smith has made 30-of-47 shots from the field and scored in double figures off the bench four times during the last nine games.
2. James needs two assists to pass Nate "Tiny" Archibald (6,476) for 21st on the NBA’s all-time list.
3. The Magic assigned F Devyn Marble to the Erie BayHawks of the NBA’s Development League.