Cavaliers 91, Magic 85
CLEVELAND -- Despite a magnificent game by Magic center Nikola Vucevic, the Cleveland Cavaliers held off pesky Orlando for a 91-85 win Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena.
The 7-foot Vucevic finished with 21 points and 21 rebounds -- his third 20-20 game of the season. He also has 42 double-doubles. He converted 10 of 20 shots from the field.
Despite Vucevic's efforts, the Cavs won their second game in a row -- something they hadn't done since Feb. 20-23.
Small forward Alonzo Gee paced the Cavs (24-52) with 19 points, and he added seven rebounds. Power forward Tristan Thompson finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Thompson has 32 rebounds in his past two games.
The only other Cavs player to reach double figures was guard Shaun Livingston, who had 12 points, six rebounds and six assists.
The Cavs found a way to win despite shooting just 36 percent from the field. Also, leading scorer Kyrie Irving suffered through his third consecutive poor shooting night. He was 3-for-12 from the field, making him 12-for-48 in his last three games.
Irving, who averages 23 points, was limited to nine points and a game-high 10 assists.
Forward Tobias Harris, on a tear since being traded to the Magic, scored a game-high 26 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Guard Beno Udrih added 13 points and six assists for Orlando (19-59).
The Magic led 66-62 after three quarters, but the Cavs outscored Orlando 29-21 in the fourth.
Orlando shot 37.8 percent from the field.
Vucevic was a force in the first half. He was not only scoring at will, he also took out Cavs swingman C.J. Miles with an inadvertent elbow to the face. Miles got six stitches to close a gash on his forehead with about eight minutes left in the first half. He didn't return.
Vucevic paced the Magic with 13 points and 14 rebounds in the first half. The rebound total tied The Q record for most boards in a half.
He helped the Magic assume a 48-44 advantage at halftime.
For the Cavs, Irving had seven points and five assists before the break.
NOTES: Cavs forward Luke Walton (ankle sprain) and guard Daniel Gibson (sore elbow) missed Sunday's game. Both players had X-rays that were negative. ... Cavs forward Tristan Thompson hopes to play for Team Canada this summer in qualifying for the World Championships. "I would encourage him to do that," Cleveland coach Byron Scott said. "The more you play (in the offseason), the better you get." ... The Magic played their fifth road game in nine days Sunday. ... There were two busloads of St. Bonaventure University students at the game to cheer on Magic forward Andrew Nicholson, who scored eight points.
