Cleveland opened the game on fire and took a 56-38 lead into the break. Orlando didn't have an answer for anything the Cavaliers did all night, which led to the huge blowout victory for Cleveland.
Turning Point:
The Cavs opened the second quarter on an 11-4, turning the game into a blowout early. Critics had been waiting for this Cavaliers team to show that killer instinct, which they showed they had tonight.
Key Stat:
Cleveland's defense stepped up in a big way on Monday night, holding Orlando to just 36.3 percent shooting. That created a lot of transition opportunities for the Cavs, which is where they're at their best.
Cleveland MVP:
LeBron James took over this game from the start and never let up. He scored as many points in the first quarter (16) as the entire Magic team did, and finished the game with 29 points and 11 assists.
Orlando MVP:
Center Nikola Vucevic showed why he's considered to be one of the best young centers in the game, putting up 18 points along with 13 rebounds. Victor Oladipo also played well with 22 points and nine assists.
What Did We Learn?
Cleveland finally showed some progress as they snapped their four-game losing streak. They had their best defensive game of the season because they played with consistent effort on that end of the floor, which created easy scoring opportunities. If they can continue to play defense at that level, they'll find that everything else falls into place.
As for Orlando, we learned that they still have a long way to go to become a playoff-caliber team. They were playing without Tobias Harris, but everyone outside of Vucevic and Oladipo seemed overwhelmed by Cleveland's talent and athleticism. That's not a good sign for a team on the rise.
What’s Next?
Cleveland will host the Wizards on Wednesday night while Orlando will return home to face the Golden State Warriors the same day.
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