Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ 105-94 loss to the host Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
1. This one hurts — literally. Actually, I don’t know if the Cavs who played are in real pain, but it seems that way with Collin Sexton. He hurt his ankle.
2. Did I mention the Cavs have a back-to-back with another game in Memphis on Thursday?
3. Did I mention they were already missing Darius Garland (shoulder), Kevin Love (calf), Dante Exum (also calf), Kevin Porter Jr. (personal reasons), Dylan Windler (hand) and Matthew Dellavedova (concussion)?
4. Did I mention coach J.B. Bickerstaff has already been forced to start seven lineups in eight games?
5. Did I mention now might be a good time to stop? The answer is it would, but let’s keep going anyway.
6. Why drag on when no news is good news? Well, because the Cavs are fun. Really. In spite of it all, it’s hard to find much fault with this team.
7. I’ve credited Bickerstaff for that a hundred times and I’m going to do it again. The players also deserve credit. You would hope this is about as bad as it could get for the Cavs in terms of injuries. Any more and they would make history in all-time pain for one team.
8. Yet they continue to play hard, they continue to try to play together and they continue to believe. No one is hanging his head. No one is pouting. No one is mailing it in and acting like no matter what happens, a hefty check still awaits.
9. It’s actually been the opposite of all that.
10. General manager Koby Altman and Bickerstaff have assembled a team that should be proud. There is nothing here to make you think, “These guys just don’t get it.” You can’t accuse the Cavs of being selfish. You can’t accuse them of lacking heart. You can only say they’re banged up. And that’s no basketball crime.
11. The Cavs (4-4) knew this wasn’t going to be easy — even when everyone was healthy. They are in the middle of a six-game trip in the second week of the season. They are young at some key positions. They were off for about nine months. They only played 11 games under Bickerstaff before the start of this season. The game in Memphis will only be their 20th under Bickerstaff overall.
12. Bickerstaff refused to make excuses. “We’re having a hard time on the offensive end right now,” he told reporters. “Shots aren’t falling. We’re missing bunnies at the rim. We’re missing open looks. That makes it difficult.”
13. He went on to suggest the Cavs’ have been OK defensively. “I think if you give up 105 points, that gives you an opportunity to be in the game, an opportunity to win the game,” he said. “But right now we’re having a hard time on the offensive end. That’s on me to find easier ways for us to score and take some of the pressure off our guys.”
14. Sexton again led the way with 21 points. Andre Drummond had 19 points and 15 rebounds. Both were very good and gave the Cavs a fighting chance.
15. Okoro, Larry Nance Jr. and two-way rookie Lamar Stevens added 10 points apiece. Okoro scored his on 4-of-5 shooting.
16. Meanwhile, Cedi Osman continues to struggle mightily as a starter. He was a miserable 1-of-12 from the field. Osman is much better off the bench — but Bickerstaff has no choice but to start Osman at this point.
17. Super-sub Terrence Ross led the Magic with 20 points. The Cavs can thank their lucky stars they won’t be seeing Orlando again for a while, having lost twice to the Magic in three days.
18. The Magic did receive some depressing news, as starting guard and former No. 1 overall draft pick Markelle Fultz went down with a torn ACL. He will miss the rest of the season.
19. Right now, there’s no telling if Sexton will play Thursday. He has yet to miss a game in his three-year career. “I’m tough,” he said. That right there is an on-point description of both Sexton and the Cavs overall.
