One column in the NBA standings to the right of “Cleveland Cavaliers” on the morning of Dec. 6 flashed like a giant caution light.
It wasn’t their mediocre overall record of 11-9 or even the fact they began the day in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The warning bells sounded because the column “home” showed the Cavaliers were just 5-6 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse before hosting the red-hot Orlando Magic, winners of nine of their last 10 games before visiting Cleveland.
Now they are 6-6 at home after making the Magic disappear, 121-111, in a game played well on both ends of the floor. Donovan Mitchell led the charge with 35 points.
Teams did not like visiting the FieldHouse last season because the Cavaliers were not kind hosts. The Cavs were 31-10 at home in 2022-23. The only teams in the East with a better home record were the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. Both were 32-9 at home, and, not coincidentally, finished 1-2 in the conference. The Cavaliers’ stellar home record last season propelled them to a fourth place finish.
“We love to get our crowd involved,” Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Wednesday night after the #Cavaliers dominated the Orlando Magic, 121-111, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. pic.twitter.com/uISciWrjWT
— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) December 7, 2023
One game doesn’t mean all is well, but maybe the Cavs have rediscovered their home mojo. They got off to a blistering start against the Magic, shooting 57.7 percent from the field in the first quarter, including 7 of 10 on three-pointers for a 37-20 lead after 12 minutes. They rode the early wave and never trailed.
“We love to get our crowd involved, but we’re just trying to play Cavaliers basketball over an 82-game season,” Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “We’ve had some bumps in the road — continuity because of injuries and those types of things.
“Our guys have stuck with it. We’ll win our fair share of games at home as long as we stay together and stay healthy and give ourselves a chance.”
Cavaliers basketball, indeed. The Cavs took 35 rebounds off the defensive glass. Orland had only seven offensive rebounds. The Cavs were solid defensively; the Magic was just 2 of 23 on 3s. Darius Garland scored 26 points, dished out nine assists and had zero turnovers while playing 40 minutes,
The Cavs fed off the home crowd last season. The fans were involved in the Dec. 6 game, too, though the building wasn’t filled as it normally is despite the team announcing a sellout of 19,432. The game was not on the original schedule. It was added last week after the Cavs were eliminated from the play-in tournament.
Still, the crowd grew loud with chants of “Defense! Defense!” at the right time. The Magic cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 75-70 with 7:30 left in the third quarter, but then Mitchell hit a floater from six feet and Max Strus, playing with four fouls, stole the ball, was fouled on the play and then split a pair of free throws. Order was restored.
The effort against the Magic was a sharp contrast to the way the Cavaliers played in their previous home game when they were hammered, 103-95, by the lowly Portland Trail Blazers. It got so bad in that game that the FieldHouse patrons booed.
The Magic never shaved the Cavs lead to five or fewer points again after cutting the deficit to 75-70. The Cavaliers obviously enjoined themselves. George Niang buried a 26-jumper to expand the lead to 92-78 with 2:34 left in the third quarter, prompting the Magic to call a timeout. As the teams headed to their benches, Garland, smiling widely, jumped on Niang’s back as though Niang scored the game-winner at the buzzer when the Cavs were two points down.
Knocking off the Magic, still third in the East at 14-7, is the sendoff the Cavs needed prior to a four-game road trip that begins Dec. 8 in Miami, continues in Orlando three nights later and then concludes with games in Boston on Dec. 12 and Dec. 14.
CAVALIERS AT HEAT
When: 8 p.m., Dec. 8
Where: Kaseya Center, Miami
Records: Cavaliers 12-9, Heat 12-9
TV: Bally Sports Ohio
