NBA: Magic shoot their way past Cavs | Inquirer Sports

Gordon, Magic shoot their way past Cavs

/ 02:49 PM January 05, 2021

Aaron Gordon

Aaron Gordon  of the Orlando Magic gestures a three-pointer during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Amway Center on January 04, 2021 in Orlando, Florida.  Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images/AFP

Aaron Gordon highlighted his 24-point performance by sinking a career high-tying six 3-pointers to lift the host Orlando Magic to a 103-83 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.

Gordon, who also had 11 rebounds, made 9 of 17 shots from the floor and 6 of 9 from beyond the arc. The Magic benefited from a season-high 15 shots from 3-point land, with several coming during a third quarter in which Orlando outscored Cleveland by a 38-18 margin.

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Nikola Vucevic had 23 points, Terrence Ross added 15 and Khem Birch collected 12 points and a career hiRELgh-tying 12 rebounds for the Magic, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

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Cleveland’s Collin Sexton scored 24 points and Cedi Osman added 18. Damyean Dotson had 16 points while playing in place of Darius Garland, who sat out while nursing a sprained shoulder sustained in a 96-91 win over Atlanta on Saturday.

The Cavaliers will look to avenge this setback on Wednesday when the teams meet again in Orlando.

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Dotson sank a deep 3-pointer to give Cleveland its first lead at 54-53 early in the third quarter before Gordon ignited the Magic’s 26-9 run. Gordon made a trio of 3-pointers, an alley-oop dunk and a mid-range jumper in just under a three-minute stretch, while Vucevic and Cole Anthony converted from beyond the arc to push the lead to 79-63.

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The Magic kept their foot on the gas, with Birch converting twice from in close before Dwayne Bacon sank a 3-pointer just before the buzzer. Orlando’s 13th 3-pointer extended its lead to 89-67 after three quarters.

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Cleveland’s Dante Exum, who was starting in place of injured rookie Isaac Okoro (foot), sustained a right calf strain while coming around a screen early in the first quarter. He did not return.

Orlando bolted out of the blocks by scoring the game’s first 10 points, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Gordon. Gordon tipped home a basket to increase the Magic’s lead to 12-2, but the Cavaliers slowly chipped away before settling for a 51-49 deficit at halftime.

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TAGS: Aaron Gordon, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA, Orlando Magic, Sports

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