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Facing Cleveland Cavaliers has been tall task for Orlando Magic

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jan 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots as Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon (00) defends during the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots as Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon (00) defends during the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic have struggled against the Cleveland Cavaliers, failing to take the punch from the East’s best. With a last chance, the task is difficult.

The Orlando Magic have had their moments against some of the best teams in the NBA.

They played tough with the Golden State Warriors twice. The San Antonio Spurs needed a game-winning basket with virtually no time remaining to defeat Orlando at the Amway Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder needed double overtime once and a buzzer beater second to sweep the Magic this year.

Orlando has shown itself capable of playing up to the competition even the very best the league has to offer.

Except when it comes to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In three games against the Cavaliers this season, the Magic have lost by 14 points, 35 points and 25 points. And none of those three games were particularly close either. The Magic have just gotten plain beat in those three games, picked apart by LeBron James, shot to death by Kevin Love and just unable to take the punch from one of the best in the league.

“The matchup. They just have a lot of pieces,” said Aaron Gordon, who will get plenty of time tonight guarding LeBron James. “A lot of different mobile guys who can do different things. They have a very deep bench. They play consistent through 48 minutes and that is really what kills you.”

The Magic’s task will be made more difficult tonight with Nikola Vucevic ruled out with a sore groin again, missing his seventh consecutive game. Elfrid Payton remains a game-time decision. Coach Scott Skiles said he went through shootaround but was feeling sore. They would re-evaluate him closer to game time.

Undoubtedly having both would help the Magic. Then again, it has not made much of a difference before.

Orlando has a paltry 92.6 offensive rating against Cleveland this year. The team is shooting a 47.2 percent effective field goal percentage. The team has been unable to get itself running and has been unable to get many stops. Cleveland posts a 118.3 offensive rating against Orlando. Their 110.7 points per game are made all the more impressive by the fact the pace in the three games has averaged to 93.2 possessions per game.

These are slow, methodical games where the Cavaliers have just picked the Magic apart.

“They are pretty good, that’s one thing,” coach Scott Skiles said. “Because of LeBron and his ability to see and pass to people, you’ve got to play a really elite defensive game against them. If you make a mistake, he finds someone. And he isn’t the only one. . . . But LeBron, his decision making is superior. You just can’t make many mistakes.”

Changing that trend will take a gargantuan effort. Aaron Gordon said the team will have to play hard, be aggressive and attack them. The Magic have to be assertive and try to take the game at the Cavaliers.

That is easier said than done with LeBron James. His ability to get others involved while still putting pressure on a defense is second to none in the league.

The task at hand, as Skiles put it, was to take each thing in turn. It starts with slowing James and that has to be the primary concern. The team has to help, but not over-help to get the ball out of his hands. Then the team has to get out to shooters and contest shots. Then it gets to getting the rebound and preventing offensive rebounds.

Elfrid Payton, Kyrie Irving, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers
Mar 15, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) attempted to defend Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton (4) during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Like with everything else, that is easier said than done against the Cavaliers. They have shooters that spread the floor for James and Kyrie Irving to drive. Kevin Love is a superb passer. And when they ge thte opportunity they can run.

And if all that is not a problem, Love is a superb rebounder and Tristan Thompson is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league — his 13.5 percent offensive rebound rate is fourth among all players averaging at least 25 minutes per game.

The Cavaliers ask a lot of every defense. They put so much pressure on a team. And the Magic have had their own struggles on defense of late too.

Not to mention struggles countering runs, something Cleveland has done in every game against Orlando this season. The Magic have struggled to limit those pushes rather than letting them get out of hand.

In essence, Cleveland will test every struggle Orlando has had of late. But that is just the challenge the Magic have to face head on.

Next: Aaron Gordon is a rising star

“We just got to go at them,” Victor Oladipo said. “We’ve got to bring the fight to them. I think they brought the fight to us the last couple games and every time we play them. We just have to be ready to play tonight.”