Story by
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Orlando Magic live score updates and recap; Cavs improve to 6-0
- Story by
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Orlando Magic live score updates and recap; Cavs improve to 6-0
CLEVELAND — The red-hot (perhaps that should be "wine" hot for the wine-and-gold color scheme) Cavaliers look to keep their perfect stretch to open the season going Friday night against the Orlando Magic .
The Cavs, who have boasted arguably the league's best offense thus far , entered the game 5-0 to begin the 2024-25 season and were coming off a drubbing of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night . In that game, Bronny James scored his first NBA points after the Cavs crowd chanted his name.
Advertisement
Friday night's Cavs-Magic game is the first rematch after Cleveland's Game 7 win over Orlando in the first round of last year's playoffs . It was the first Cavaliers playoff series win without LeBron James on the roster in 30 years.
Friday's game tipped off at 7:14 p.m. at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Check back here for live score updates, analysis and highlights .
Cavaliers beat the Magic, improve to 6-0 this season
The Cavs' perfect run to start the season continued with a 120-109 win over the Magic Friday night.
Darius Garland finished with a team-high 25 points to go with four assists. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points in only 22 minutes. Caris LeVert had another nice night with 13 points and seven assists off the bench. Evan Mobley had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Advertisement
Cavaliers take out their starters with 4 minutes left; Cavs-Magic score
The Cavaliers are calling it off while up 111-95 with four minutes to go, and they've taken out all of their starters.
The Cavs are cruising to a 6-0 record to start the season.
Jalen Suggs over 25 points, but Cavs lead Magic by 15 in fourth quarter
Jalen Suggs is having a terrific night, now with a game-high 26 points, but the Magic still don't have enough scoring to really close the gap against the Cavs, who lead 102-87 with 7:39 left in the fourth quarter. The absence of Banchero is painfully evident for the Magic. Suggs and the Wagners (Franz has 15, Moe has 14) just haven't had the scoring punch to keep up.
Nov 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) dribbles beside Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) in the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Caris LeVert, Georges Niang extend Cavaliers lead over Magic heading to fourth quarter
The Magic briefly cut the Cavalier lead to 10 points, but a couple of quick 3s from Caris LeVert and Georges Niang has again pushed that out to 17 points after three quarters. Cleveland will take a 95-78 lead heading into the final 12 minutes.
Advertisement
LeVert, who has had a terrific start to the season as the Cavs' sixth man, has 13 points and seven assists tonight.
Magic cutting into Cavaliers lead late in third quarter; Jalen Suggs has 14 points
The Magic are slowly chipping away, largely thanks to an increase in pace and transition scoring.
With 3:43 to go in the third quarter, Orlando has cut the Cavs' lead to 77-65. Jalen Suggs has a team-high 14 points, as a scoring uptick for him was expected with Banchero sidelined.
Nov 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) defends Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) in the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Donovan Mitchell has 20-point game; Cavs, Magic score update
The Cavs offense has stalled a bit, but Cleveland is still maintaining a 15-point lead, up 70-55 with 6:51 left in the third quarter.
Advertisement
Donovan Mitchell is now up to a game-high 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting tonight.
The Magic offense is clearly sputtering without Banchero.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) looks to pass while being defended by Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner (21) and guard Anthony Black (0) in the first quarter Friday in Cleveland.
Cavaliers-Magic score: Cleveland offense again surging with 19-point lead at halftime
The Cavs offense is again firing on all cylinders, as Cleveland leads the Magic 63-44 at halftime.
Collectively, the Cavs are shooting 55 percent from the floor, and they've already his seven 3s.
Donovan Mitchell has a game-high 17 points. Darius Garland had a big second quarter and is up to 14 points tonight. Evan Mobley has 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Franz Wagner , Moe Wagner , Jalen Suggs and Tristan Da Silva all have eight points for the Magic.
Nov 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) stands on the court in the first quarter against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Cavs, Magic score update: Cleveland leads Orlando midway through second quarter
Darius Garland just buried a 3, and the Cavs have maintained a double-digit lead through the midway point of the second quarter, which now stands at 44-31.
Advertisement
Donovan Mitchell has a game-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor. Evan Mobley has nine points and four rebounds.
Nov 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) reaches for the ball on the opening tip against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Cavs lead Magic 34-16 at the end of the first quarter
The Cavs led the Magic 34-16 at the end of the first quarter.
Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell had a game-high 13 points through one quarter. Guard Caris LeVert added eight points off Cleveland's bench. Forward Evan Mobley had six points for the Cavs.
The Cavs outrebounded the Magic 16-7 in the opening quarter and were led by center Jarrett Allen 's four rebounds.
For the Magic, Jalen Suggs has a team-high eight points. Both Wagners have six points each.
Cavs extend lead over Magic to 13 points with 2:42 left in the first quarter
Guard Caris LeVert checked into the game with 6:34 left in the first quarter and gave the Cavs a spark off the bench. LeVert made two of his first three field-goal attempts for five points, elevating the Cavs to a 29-16 lead with 2:42 left in the first quarter. His 3-pointer prompted the Magic to call timeout when their deficit increased to 13 points.
Advertisement
With 4:52 left in the first quarter, Moritz Wagner scored on guard Sam Merrill right by the basket and flexed. The Cleveland crowd booed the opponent it loved to dislike in last season's playoffs. Wagner missed a foul shot for a would-be three-point play. Still, he had a team-high six points through the first quarter.
Cavs lead Magic 17-10 with 6:34 left in the first quarter; Wagner brothers leading Orlando
Mitchell began the game on fire and had racked up 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field in the first five-plus minutes. The Cavs led 17-10 when they called timeout with 6:34 left in the opening quarter.
The Magic made starting center Wendell Carter Jr. a late scratch with right knee tendonitis. Moe Wagner started in his place. Moe Wagner and his brother Franz Wagner led the Magic at this juncture with four points apiece.
Advertisement
Below is some pregame information.
Paolo Banchero injury; Magic lose star for several weeks
Paolo Banchero had gotten off a fantastic start to this season, but the Magic will be without their star wing for at least a month after he sustained a torn right oblique.
Banchero was averaging 29 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game before the injury, which will leave the Magic shorthanded.
Magic forward Franz Wagner drives the ball past Cavaliers guard Max Strus in the first quarter of Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff series, April 27, 2024, in Orlando.
Bronny James returns to Northeast Ohio, talks about school days, Swensons
LeBron's son Bronny makes his return to Northeast Ohio against the Cavs. Ahead of the showdown with Cleveland, Bronny reminisced about his school days at Old Trail School and even weighed in on his go-to Swensons order.
Advertisement
Bronny's return: 'Real special': Bronny James eager for dual homecoming with LeBron James in Lakers vs Cavs
He called return to his home state with his dad "real special."
Cavaliers announce season-opening roster 2024-25
The Cavs announced their season-opening roster earlier this week.
Max Strus injury; Cavs injury report
Max Strus is set to miss at least six weeks with an ankle injury . Dean Wade is in the starting lineup in Strus' place.
How can I watch/stream/listen to Cavs-Magic game?
Friday night's game can be watched on ESPN and the FanDuel Sports Network. It'll be broadcast over the radio on WMMS 100.7 and WTAM 1100.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavaliers score today vs. Orlando Magic
