Orlando Magic 98, Cleveland Cavaliers 92: The Morning After

John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com reports that Magic coach Stan Van Gundy wasn't impressed with the way his team played, despite overcoming a 16-point deficit to win on the road.

Huffed Van Gundy: ``We got a win, but nothing else. It was just a bad basketball game from our standpoint. But we won, so I’m not going to complain. What else do I take from it? Nothing.’’

You know a team's having a good year when its bloggers get worried when it doesn't blow opponents out. Philip Rossman-Reich of Orlando Magic Daily writes, "The bigger concern for Orlando at the moment is the recent stretch of play. The Magic have played well enough to win but have not dominated."

John Krolik of Cavs: the Blog came away believing that Antawn Jamison's ability to score inside could be pivotal if the Magic meet the Cavs in the playoffs. "If he can score posting up opposing fours and threes," he says, "it will be a way for the Cavs to get points without having to deal with Dwight Howard’s ability to defend the paint."

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown's decision not to bring back leading scorers Mo Williams and Jamison in the game's waning minutes, with victory still within reach, confused beat writer Brian Windhorst.

You will see the Cavs calling timeouts and playing the so-called "steal/foul game" in the last 90 seconds of games in the preseason. I've sat through numerous preseason games just wishing they would run out the clock and instead watched timeouts and 3-for-2 trades and stuff. Then in a regular season against the top rival in the East the Cavs just folded the tent.

[...]

When I asked Brown about it after the game he admitted in less than two seconds that it was a mistake. That sort of leaves nothing else to say.

Windhorst isn't the only beat writer questioning Brown's approach. "At the moment, one wonders whether Brown's formula will prove to be the panacea or poison," writes George Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Brown was displeased with his defense, writes Sam Amico of NBA.com

"I don't care who's on the floor, we can close out on shooters the way we've been teaching the whole year," said Cavs coach Mike Brown. "Getting back in transition and communicating are things we've been talking about for the last five years. It doesn't matter who's on the floor."

Orlando scored 98 points on 88 possessions.