ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic won their season opener fairly comfortably mostly because of their defense. The Cleveland Cavaliers shot 37.1 percent from the floor and 26.5 percent from beyond the arc while attempting only 15 free throws and committing 16 turnovers.
What also made a difference – even though the Magic didn’t shoot the ball that efficiently – was their passing. Orlando logged 24 assists and 50 potential assists, which is when a player, following receiving a pass, takes no more than one dribble before attempting a shot.
Also noteworthy, the Magic had three secondary assists, which is when a player passes to a teammate who records an assist within one second and without dribbling.