Orlando Magic missing that one starring piece against Cleveland Cavaliers
Late game struggles again cost the Orlando Magic against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Having LeBron James sure would help.
As the minutes ticked off for the Orlando Magic against the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was clear where the Cavaliers would send the ball and exactly what he would do with it.
It was going to LeBron James. LeBron James was going to find a way to score — whether that was getting to the line or getting to the basket or hitting difficult step-back jumpers.
LeBron was doing LeBron things.
Things to the tune of 15 points and 5-for-8 shooting in a 27-14 fourth quarter that helped the Cavaliers to a 98-89 win at Amway Center on Friday. It left the Amway Center gasping and everyone speechless.
Except for the fact that this is just what LeBron James does.
“LeBron’s the best player in the world,” Cavs coach David Blatt said. “That’s obviously what he does. When he decides to lift us, he lifts us.”
Live Feed
Hoops Habit
The Cavaliers needed that lift. Everyone could sense it as the Magic took as much as an 11-point lead. But the fouling and the presence of “The King” kept everything on edge. Cleveland has that luxury with James in their back pocket.
The Magic? Not so much.
Orlando shot 5 for 21 from the floor in the fourth quarter. Victor Oladipo made just one for six from the floor and Tobias Harris shot one for four in the fourth quarter.
As Orlando desperately needed a basket time and time again, they struggled to get that shot. In on frustrating sequence Victor Oladipo ran a pick and roll with Nikola Vucevic and drove to the lane, spinning into the lane right into Vucevic. Sensing the contact, Oladipo passed the ball to the corner . . . to no one. As if to emphasize the struggles late in the game, the referees had to go to the replay to prove the obvious.
The Magic recognize that one of their weaknesses remains this lack of a go-to option. When the chips came down, the Magic were still trying to throw darts blindfolded hoping something would hit the target.
The Magic were still gaining experience in these late-game situations, Jacque Vaughn said. But as the pressure mounted, the smoothness and crispness of the execution (if there was any at all) decreased. Learning experience? Sure. Satisfying? Not at all. Frustrating? Yes.
“I don’t think we got tight at all down the stretch,” Jacque Vaughn said. “I think a big part of this league is at the end of the game in the fourth quarter having the ability of putting the ball in someone’s hands and that someone makes a play. How many possessions at the end of the game was the ball in LeBron’s hands and he made a play for himself and for his teammates? We’re still growing and understanding who we want the ball in whose hands and how to finish once the ball is in that person’s hands.”
More from Analysis
- 2023 Orlando Magic Playoff Lessons: Philadelphia 76ers can’t seem to avoid conflict
- Orlando Magic FIBA World Cup: Franz Wagner can be a star if he takes it
- Orlando Magic are going to find out who they are in 2024
- 2024 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Moe Wagner is the spark off of the bench
- NBA 2K Ratings represent Orlando Magic’s hope and skepticism
The Magic could not quite figure out who to give the ball late in the game.
That has been something of a work in progress throughout the year. Harris had his moments with some late-game buckets, but with James on him the Magic went elsewhere.
They tried to varying success to get Nikola Vucevic the ball, but could not get him established in the post. Tristan Thompson did a good job pushing him off his spot. Not that the Magic were ever that imaginative getting him the ball in favorable post positions.
Again, the team’s body language seemed to show the frustration with the team missing shots near the basket and forcing things off the dribble. And it compounded on defense. James scored 27 points total and found each point difficult in the half court. Until the end.
When James finally got past Harris, it was easy to see Harris get frustrated with his teammates. Such a great performance seemed washed down the drain.
“I think overall production wise we got contributions from a lot of guys,” Vaughn said. “We were able to mix and match our bigs because of Kyle’s foul trouble but I think it produced pretty decent offense efficiently and defensively I thought we did some good things also.”
For most of the game, the Magic were able to impose their will. Well, maybe not their will. But they controlled the game.
When the Cavs made a run, the Magic had the intensity and the will to answer. LeBron James got angry with Tobias Harris and scored an and-1. Then Orlando went on a 10-0 run. Things were going well.
And then they were not. It happened swiftly as the Cavaliers, or LeBron, avalanche came.
A good effort turned into a frustrating one.
Live Feed
The Sixer Sense
“It’s been happening pretty much every game we play at home in the fourth quarter,” Harris said. “The last five minutes, we just get away from what we’ve been doing all game, which was moving the ball, getting the ball to the guy that are open and making easy shots. We took some bad shots in the fourth quarter, we rushed a lot of shots, and that’s why we lost.”
It has been too common a refrain this season.
And, yes, the Magic did change their offense as Harris suggested, relying heavily on Oladipo breaking his man off the dribble in pick and rolls and working on plays with only one end result rather than multiple outlets or options. Sometimes, this is the unfortunate way the Magic’s offense works.
And the late-game struggles will continue until this changes. Maybe the recognition of it will change things.
Maybe not having to go up against LeBron James will too.