Cleveland Brought Its Regulars. Orlando Still Dropped 132.

Orlando won 132–116 Tuesday, but the score that told me the most was 72–52. That's where the Magic had Cleveland at halftime. A 20-point hole with much of the Cavaliers' normal lineup playing? Yeah, that's worth a conversation.

Paolo Banchero finished with 24 points and eight rebounds, while Franz Wagner gave Orlando 20 points and eight assists. That frontcourt duo accounted for 44 points and set the tone for an offense that moved the ball and attacked closeouts.

What matters here

Donovan Mitchell produced 15 points and eight assists for the Cavaliers, and rookie Meleek Thomas led Cleveland with 16. Still, Cleveland's defensive rotations looked a step behind. The Magic had established control long before the reserves handled the closing minutes.

It's preseason; don't take the result as proof of how these teams will finish. But the film isn't imaginary either. If guys get downhill without resistance and defenses keep leaving open passing lanes, that's a legitimate concern whether there's a trophy on the line or not.

My take

My takeaway: Orlando knows what kind of offense it wants to play. Cleveland needs its defense to look as organized as its roster sounds on paper.