Magic Shuts Down Cavaliers 101-86 Locks Up Third Seed In East

Posted by Jeff Sack under Main

Hedo Turkoglu scored a game high 23 points, Rashard Lewis added 21 more, and the Orlando Magic played smothering defense in the second half Saturday as they beat up the Cleveland Cavaliers in front of their home fans 101-86. With the win Orlando has clinched the third seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, behind Boston, and Detroit. Orlando held Cleveland to just 38.6% (34-88) from the floor for the game.

Orlando had the slight advantage at the end of the first quarter as they led 30-26.?If either team looked like they were going to dominate?in the second quarter, it was the Cavaliers,?as Cleveland led at the half 55-47. But when the two teams came back onto the court in the second half, Orlando started to put them selves back into the game. They tied the game at 57-57 with a Rashard Lewis 22 foot trey with 8:20 left in the third, and although the Cavaliers had the lead at the end of the quarter it was tenuous at 72-69. The Magic scored the first 6 points, of the final period, and took the lead 75-72 with 8:37 in the game when Hedo hit a pair at the line. Orlando never trailed again, as they held Cleveland to just 14 points, in the the fourth quarter.

Hedo scored 23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, in the Orlando victory. Rashard Lewis scored 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, Jameer Nelson scored 16 points, dished off 9 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block. Veteran Pat Garrity scored 13 points, coming off the bench, 2 rebounds, 1 steal.? Maurice Evans scored 11 points, 2 steals, 1 assist, 1 rebound, yes Dwight Howard did play and though his scoring numbers were well below average (4 points, on 1-8 from the field, 2 points at the line) he helped up big time grabbing a game high 12 boards, 3 assists.

Delonte West led Cleveland with 19 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal, Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 18 points, 9 boards, 3 blocks, 3 assists. Even though it is difficult to believe at times, LeBron James is after all a mere mortal, and this was one of those games where it was all too apparent. LBJ shot 6-22 from the floor, 1-5 from outside arc, and 4-8 at the line for just 17 points, although he did dish off 9 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks. Devin Brown scored 15 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists. Orlando is now 48-28, Cleveland is 42-35.

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