The Cleveland Cavaliers finished their preseason with a bang, falling to the Orlando Magic 132-116 in a game that wasn’t as close as the last few notes.
Three stars of the game
First star: Francis Wagner
20 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds
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The magic pieces were clever, they just didn’t fit together. That changes when Wagner can create others as easily as he did on Tuesday.
Orlando’s offense makes sense when Wagner attacks downhill, gets to the line, and throws for shots. This was the serious formula new head coach Sean Sweeney wants to see from his team.
Second star: Paolo Banchero
24 points, 3 assists, 8 rebounds
The Cavs didn’t have an answer for Banchero inside. He went 7-for-8 in the restricted area and 8-for-10 in the paint overall.
This was a stark contrast to what we saw on Sunday. Then Cleveland’s defense did a good job of containing Banchero, going 1-for-10 from the field that game. This formula was completely lost in this team in which the overall reason was defensive.
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Third star: Meleek Thomas
16 points, 0 assists, 3 rebounds
Thomas was the only Cavalier to stand out in this game. He established his greatest ability by placing it in the fourth quarter.
It is worth pointing out that Thomas’ soft touch did not exactly translate to the role of the ball. Whether or not he can show the same skills off the ball this season could determine the rookie’s impact. That said, seeing you flash when you put the ball in your hands is incredibly encouraging.
Dud games
Evan Mobley
14 points, 5 rebounds, 0 assists
This game wasn’t objectively bad, but it was a continuation of Mobley’s preseason. The Cavs have talked about wanting to get him comfortable in the offense. It just didn’t look that way when that performance came on a 3-for-10 pass rush on Sunday.
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You don’t want to make too much of the preseason, but there hasn’t been much from these three games to make you believe there’s going to be a sharp jump.
Cuvi who deserves a shoutout
Jaylon Tyson
12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Tyson continues to showcase the well-rounded game he once teased last season. He seems much more comfortable doing it with the ball in his hands. That pairs well with his solid three-point shot and consistent energy.
Play the game
Kenny Atkinson spoke about Mario Hezonja’s use of the post with a mismatch. This shows how easily he can lead the basket.
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Here, Hezonja gets a mismatch on him, puts his guy back in the post, and forces Goga Bitadze to come over for help. That helped the defense give Jarrett Allen the bridge to step into the net and draw a foul.
Being effective often comes down to whether or not you can make mismatches. Games like this show how Hezonja can do it.
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“We’ve come to have the first line of attack to be a little more robust.” – Assistant coach Mike Gerrity
A defensive attack begins. You can’t protect the coast if the guards are constantly blowing through the perimeter. That forces you into a rotation, opens up the corners by pushing the ball away, and leaves you vulnerable to the three-pointer.
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This game was bad all around, but the reason this got out of hand was due to a lack of perimeter defense.
What a day
This number represents how poorly Cleveland played on that end. You don’t give the height of the half court a serious assessment without struggling with the ball. When you can’t contain the ball, the offense can get easy looks soon enough to provide a pass or two.
It’s just the preseason, but Cleveland’s defense left a lot to be desired in three exhibition games after aiming to be a top-five defense.
Who remembers this game for Meleek Thomas’ fourth quarter break?
You don’t want to get rid of garbage when the preseason is over. However, in these three performances, the Cavs seem to be pleased with what they have seen from Thomas.
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This strong scoring outing on the ball doesn’t mean Thomas has a place in the rotation when the season starts, but at the same time, the other guards on the depth chart aren’t exactly showing that they’re even worth more minutes. If he has a shot at opening night in the rotation, we can show why by the end of this game.