Cavaliers at Magic
The Cleveland Cavaliers try to avoid their first four-game losing streak in more than two years when they continue a road trip at the Orlando Magic on Saturday. Thursday's 106-101 loss in Detroit gave the Cavaliers their third three-game slide of the season and trimmed the squad's lead in the Eastern Conference to 2 1/2 games over Boston.
It also offered up another reminder that Cleveland is mediocre at best when superstar LeBron James is on the sidelines, as it collapsed each time he took a breather against the Pistons, including a 12-0 run by Detroit to seize control early in the fourth. "Some games there's going to be games when I wish I was out there while a team was making a run like tonight," James told reporters after posting his eighth triple-double of the season in the loss to Detroit. "But it's some games our team put together a run of our own and I'm sitting on the bench. I just trust my teammates that they're going to make the right plays, and hopefully it comes out for the best for us." James helped Cleveland defeat Orlando 15 straight times, including a 105-99 decision on Oct. 29. The Magic enter this one reeling from a 40-point loss at Charlotte on Friday and lost seven in a row at home to the Cavaliers.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (42-21): Injuries have been an issue during Cleveland's 2-5 swoon, but it got shooting guard J.R. Smith back from a thumb injury in the loss to Detroit, and fellow sharpshooter Kyle Korver (foot) is hoping to return Saturday from a one-game absence. Since the Cavaliers erupted for an NBA-record 25 3-pointers in 46 attempts at Atlanta on March 3, they are 31-for-98 from beyond the arc during the three-game slide. Smith shot 1-of-9 - including 1-of-8 from beyond the arc - in his return.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (24-42): Center Nikola Vucevic missed four straight games because of an Achilles issue but could return for this one, according to reports. Orlando has to hope for some more consistency from newly acquired forward Terrence Ross, who was scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting in Friday's loss. Ross is shooting 28.3 percent in five losses since joining the team last month and 55.6 percent in three victories.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Cleveland's 15-game run against Orlando is tied for the NBA's longest active winning streak over a single opponent.
2. Orlando is 3-8 in the second half of back-to-backs, losing its last three.
3. James is averaging 31.3 points and 14 rebounds in March.