Cavaliers improve to 3-0 by squeezing past Magic
CLEVELAND -- J.R. Smith made three 3-pointers in the final 3 1/2 minutes and the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled out a 105-99 win over the Orlando Magic after squandering the bulk of an 18-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
LeBron James had 23 points, nine assists and six rebounds, Kyrie Irving scored 20 points and Smith shook off another slow start to score 16 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter. Kevin Love fouled out in the final minute with 19 points and five rebounds for the Cavaliers, who are 3-0 to begin the season.
The Cavs were in control most of the night, but began the fourth quarter shooting just 2 of 12. After they went more than five minutes without a field goal, a driving basket by Orlando's D.J. Augustin pulled the Magic within 86-80. A jumper by Elfrid Payton made it 88-85 with four minutes left before Smith went to work.
Smith missed most of the preseason due to a contract dispute and coach Tyronn Lue said before the game he is still trying to play his way back into shape. Smith began the night just 4 of 15 from 3-point range in the Cavs' first two games and he missed six of his first seven 3-pointers on Saturday.
But James found Smith in the corner for a big 3-pointer following Payton's jumper to squelch some of the Magic's momentum. He added another 3-pointer on the Cavs' next trip down and capped his big quarter with another 3-pointer in the final minute to extend the lead to 101-95.
Evan Fournier scored 22 points and Serge Ibaka had 19 points and seven rebounds for the Magic, who fell to 0-3. Augustin scored 13 points off the bench, including 10 in the fourth quarter.
James was in midseason form in just the third game of the season. He crushed Magic center Nikola Vucevic on a dunk within the game's first three minutes, then skipped a pass down the baseline to Mike Dunleavy, even though the odds are high he never even saw Dunleavy in the corner.
James capped his ridiculousness with a four-point play in the second quarter when he caught Aaron Gordon swiping at the ball and baited him into a foul while banking in an off-balanced 3-pointer.
The Cavaliers have now won their last 15 games against the Magic.
NOTES: It's only two games, but the Cavaliers and Magic entered at opposite ends of the standings in defensive field-goal percentage. The Cavaliers lead the league at 37.9 percent, while the Magic were ranked 28th at 49.5. ... Magic coach Frank Vogel saw plenty of the Cavs' "Big Three" during his time coaching the Indiana Pacers. "They've grown into what everyone thought they would be when they were put together," he said. "Cleveland looks like a finished product." ... Cleveland F/C Channing Frye remains away from the team following the death of his mother. ... The Magic conclude their three-game road trip Tuesday at Philadelphia. The Cavaliers remain home to host the Rockets on Tuesday.