It's unlikely the Cleveland Cavaliers will need another astonishing performance from Kyrie Irving to win again Sunday night.
All of his 57 points were needed for the Cavaliers to knock off the defending champions last time out, though it doesn't seem they would need anywhere near that kind of production from Irving as they visit the woeful Orlando Magic.
Not only has Irving gone unbeaten against the Magic since his rookie season - Cleveland has won the last 10 meetings even though he missed two of them - but first-year teammate LeBron James has won his last 10 against them as well.
Irving had never beaten the Spurs and the Cavaliers had lost 10 straight to them going into Friday night's matchup at San Antonio, but the All-Star point guard would post the highest point total of his career and best in the NBA this season in a 128-125 overtime victory. He had nine points over the final minute of regulation and 11 points in the extra period, helping snap the Spurs' six-game win streak.
"The kid is special," James said after seeing Irving break his single-game franchise record of 56 points. "We all know it, we all see it and for him to go out and put up a performance like he did was incredible."
Irving, who also had 55 in a win over Portland on Jan. 28, finished 20 of 32 from the field, hit all seven of his 3-pointers and made all 10 of his free throws.
"Just couldn't have done it without my teammates. Shots were going in, I was getting open," Irving said. "... I was open a few times and a few of those shots they just left my hands and I just kind of threw them up at the rim and I was just lucky enough and blessed enough that they went in."
Cleveland (42-25) didn't even need Irving for the last matchup with the Magic (21-46), winning 98-89 in Orlando on Dec. 26 as he sat out with a bruised knee. James had 29 points that night and in the teams' other meeting this season, a 106-74 home win Nov. 24.
Neither James nor the Cavs have lost to the Magic since 2012, and it doesn't seem like that should change Sunday. While Cleveland is a league-best 23-5 since Jan. 15, Orlando is an Eastern Conference-worst 6-19 with only one victory over a team with a winning record (New Orleans).
The Magic are coming off a winless three-game road trip in which they averaged 88.3 points on 39.7 percent shooting.
"There's no magic pill here," coach James Borrego said. "There's no magic scheme. There's no magic defense. There's no magic offense right here. There's just a mentality we've got to break through right now and we will."
One bright spot has been rookie Elfrid Payton averaging 16.8 points and 6.8 assists over the last four games. He scored 20 and had nine assists in Friday's 95-88 loss at Boston.
Second-year guard Victor Oladipo has been struggling, though, with 12.7 points per game on 30.2 percent shooting in the last three.
Cavaliers coach David Blatt said at practice Saturday he's hopeful Shawn Marion could return after missing the last 12 games with a left hip strain.
