BOX SCORE
By Zac Jackson
FOX Sports Ohio
December 28, 2010
If you've been watching the Cavaliers all season, you had a feeling about how Tuesday night's game would end.
You were right. The Magic absolutely dominated the fourth quarter as they caught fire from behind the 3-point line and went on to win their fourth straight, 110-95. If they shoot like they did in this one, they might win all the way into June.
But the Cavs you saw Tuesday night -- for three quarters, anyway -- weren't the downtrodden unit that's now lost 14 of 15. They weren't anything like the team that was getting peeled at the beginning of this slide. Led by Anderson Varejao's hustle plays at both ends and Antawn Jamison's scoring, they were an entertaining, competitive bunch that fought like it had a chance, like it really wanted this one.
Reality is reality, and it hit in a big way in the fourth. There's no way to put a positive spin on a record of 8-23.
But, how about this? Another effort like that and the Cavs could win Wednesday night in Charlotte.
They didn't win Tuesday because the Magic wouldn't miss.The 19 made 3-pointers by the Magic is the most ever given up in a single game by the Cavs. Orlando made seven of its first nine from the 3-line and five of its last seven.
It was a one-point game, 75-74, going to the fourth quarter. A little more than seven minutes later, it was 102-85. Five different Magic players hit a 3-pointer during that surge.
"We played 36 good minutes of basketball," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said.
Gilbert Arenas led everybody with 22 points and also had 11 assists. The Magic had six players score in double figures for the second time in as many nights. Six players also hit more than one 3-pointer. Arenas had five 3-pointers; Jason Richardson had four.
The Cavaliers led 33-30 after one quarter. They shot 56 percent from the floor in the first half but still trailed by 3, 60-57, at halftime. They weren't exactly defending like crazy, but they were playing well.
"We obviously didn't defend the 3-point line very well," Scott said. "But there were also some shots they hit that we did a really good job challenging."
Jamison scored on a variety of floaters and scoop shots and ended up leading the Cavaliers with 21. Varejao had 14 points, 9 rebounds and a career-best 5 steals. Mo Williams had all 14 of his points in that first quarter.
Scott praised Varejao's play at both ends and especially his defense on Dwight Howard (12 points, 6 rebounds). Scott mentioned Varejao as being "up there" with the best centers in the league.
"We just haven't been able to match his play often enough," Scott said.
The Cavaliers also committed 19 turnovers, eight more than their season average.
"We turned it over too much in the fourth as well," Scott said. "That's not us. We had been good taking care of the ball most of the season."
