The Cleveland Cavaliers finally return to the court after a long offseason with fans celebrating a historic championship. Now it’s time to get back to work as the preseason tips-off against the Orlando Magic.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will return to the court on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic in the first preseason game of the Cavs season. Orlando is coming off a 102-97 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, which gives them extra motivation against the defending champs.
Twenty days away from the NBA’s opening tip-off and the Cavs’ championship ring ceremony, Cleveland will get it’s first look at the team that will try to defend it’s title.
Since the championship parade, the Cavaliers have made a couple of tweaks to the roster. Mike Dunleavy was added as a key sharpshooter on the wing. The Cavs traded for Kay Felder on draft night, who is a key point guard with great potential. They also added rim protection in the form of Chris Andersen.
Of course, the offseason also had some downs, such as Iman Shumpert being arrested in August for suspicion of DUI. Mo Williams retired after contemplating it, announcing his intentions of playing, and then retiring on the opening day of training camp. J.R. Smith remains a free agent and is even considering suiting up for the Cleveland Browns.
Seriously thinking about it! #WR or #FS? https://t.co/buscACgQlZ
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) October 5, 2016
The Magic made some moves of their own, including trading Victor Oladipo in a package for Serge Ibaka. They have also given the keys to young point guard Elfrid Payton, who is entering his second season in the NBA. They are also coached by Frank Vogel, after Scott Skiles stepped aside over a rift with the front office and disagreeing on the direction they both wanted to go.
As for the game, it appears the Magic used the first tune-up game as an opportunity to get their younger players some experience. Payton (sprained left hip flexor), Aaron Gordon (sprained ankle) and Ibaka (knee soreness) all didn’t play in the preseason opener.
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Meanwhile, the Cavs are going to start DeAndre Liggins at point guard in place of Kyrie Irving (rest) on Wednesday night, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. It will be key to see how Liggins performs at point guard as the Cavs are in search for a backup to Irving.
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Another key to focus on is how Tristan Thompson matches up defensively with Magic center Nikola Vucevic. Thompson is 6-foot-9 and undersized to defend the more back-to-basket protoype centers. Vucevic is versatile enough to play off pick-and-rolls, but when he’s in the post is what should be the most intriguing part of the matchup.
Lastly, as head coach Tyronn Lue takes over in his first full season, it will be interesting to see what plays he has installed and what changes have been made over last season, when he took over halfway through the season.
His success in half a season is unquestionably good. He proved that he can create gameplans and make key in-game adjustments. With a full offseason and training camp, this year could be even better for the Cavs.
With preseason games being a tune-up for the regular season, expect to see a lot from younger players. That is what Cavs fans should focus their attention on and see the growth from the Summer League team, at least in these first few games.
Alas, basketball is finally back! The game can be seen on Fox Sports Ohio and NBATV with tip-off at 7:00 p.m.
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What are you looking forward to in the first preseason game? Let us know in the comments section and tweet us @KJG_NBA.