The way the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic have rebuilt their foundation is fascinatingly similar. While the Cavs have already dipped their toes into the postseason waters, the Magic appear primed to follow suit. Both rely on strong guard play and are expecting their otherworldly big man to be part of their future. Both are young and scrappy with a defensive-first approach, anchored by playing with supersized lineups whenever possible. That defensive identity has led to early success for both teams, which is rare when younger teams have a hard time committing to the idea.
“To get young guys to commit to the defensive end, because they all come in with such offensive talent, isn't an easy task,” Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told ClutchPoints. “But in the long run, if you get teams to do that as their offense continues to develop and they get better and better, if they have that mindset, it's going to give thema n opportunity to go further and hopefully get there quicker.”
Cavs vs. Magic could be difficult for Donovan Mitchell and Cleveland
Heading into the matchup at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Orlando is third-best defensive team in the league, with a defensive rating that allows 109.3 points per 100 possession. The Magic also rank seventh in second-chance points allowed, 15th in fastbreak points allowed and 12th in points allowed in the paint. The Cavs, meanwhile, are eighth in defensive rating, 24th in second-chance points allowed, 19th in fastbreak points allowed and ninth in paint points allowed.
Again, the similarities between both of these teams on the defensive side of the ball is staggering. But, for a team like Cleveland that's looking to sacrifice portions of their stalwart defense to maximize their offense, Orlando could pose a threat. The Cavs have struggled on offense this year, currently mired in the bottom of the league in points per game and offensive rating. Some nights Cleveland has found success by applying constant pressure at the basket. But, when opposing defense adjust and the perimeter shots aren't falling, since the Cavs are 27th in the league in 3-pointers made per game, things get ugly quickly for Cleveland.
Considering the Magic are so sound defensively, don't expect the Cavs to totally find a consistent offensive rhythm in this matchup. Bickerstaff told the media it's a point of emphasis for Cleveland to limit turning the ball over, even if Orlando struggles scoring when on the break. But since Magic also struggle at defending fastbreak opportunities, the Cavs could set the tone, and the pace, by moving faster than usual and play to the strength of their top-10 fastbreak scoring unit.
Sure, Orlando will likely prepare for that, so it won't be the wholesale solution for Cleveland in dissecting the Magic on offense. But the Cavs could still exploit a major flaw the Magic are dealing with and find a way to grind out a win against a solid defensive unit.
Either way, it'll be tough footing for Cleveland in this matchup, as the Cavs still look to find consistency on offense after going 7-3 in their last 10 games. It starts with limiting turnovers and ends with Cleveland making Orlando keep up with them up and down the floor.
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