2026-10-11 · 5:30 PM CT · Preseason
Orlando Magic45-37
Cleveland Cavaliers52-30ESPN standings data retrieved October 6, 2026. NBA comparisons use the completed 2025–26 regular season. Each upcoming fixture labels preseason or regular-season status.
Orlando Magic2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 115.7 | 15 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 43.4 | 19 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 26.5 | 14 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 13.7 | 14 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 8.5 | 16 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 4.7 | 17 / 30 |
| FG% | 46.4% | 21 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 34.3% | 27 / 30 |
| FT% | 80.1% | 8 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 53.1% | 25 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 12.0% | 12 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.311 | 2 / 30 |
Cleveland Cavaliers2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 119.5 | 4 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 44.4 | 11 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 28.3 | 8 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 13.3 | 9 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 8.5 | 16 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 5.0 | 13 / 30 |
| FG% | 48.2% | 8 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 36.0% | 13 / 30 |
| FT% | 77.6% | 19 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 56.1% | 5 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 11.7% | 11 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.265 | 15 / 30 |
ESPN team totals and game box scores checked October 6. NBA season averages and ranks use 2025–26; preseason game results are shown separately. Ranks are within the league, with ties sharing a rank; a lower turnover rate is better. Season offensive rebound rate needs opponent defensive-rebound totals, which this feed does not supply. A dash means unavailable. This game’s offensive rebound rate uses the opponent’s actual rebounds.
eFG% gives a made three its extra value. Turnover rate estimates the share of plays lost before a shot. Offensive rebound rate is the share of available offensive rebounds collected. Free-throw pressure is FTA/FGA. The calculations are (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM)/FGA; TOV/(FGA + 0.44 × FTA + TOV); OREB/(OREB + opponent DREB); and FTA/FGA.
This is preseason. Use the team numbers as background and watch how the new lineups play together. No spread or Lab win probability is published for this game.
Last season 45-37 | 8th in the East | Lost in First Round
2025-26 efficiency 114.2 offense | 113.6 defense | +0.6 net per 100 possessions
Orlando finished eighth at 45-37 and lost a seven-game first-round series to Detroit after leading 3-1. The Magic improved offensively but still had a below-average attack, with a 114.2 offensive rating. Franz Wagner's limited availability and Jalen Suggs' missed time also prevented a dependable version of the intended rotation.
The front office replaced Jamahl Mosley with Sean Sweeney and brought Nikola Vucevic back for frontcourt depth. Paolo Banchero, Wagner and Desmond Bane remain the major scoring pieces, with Anthony Black entering a larger stage of his development. A healthier Wagner and Suggs could improve the team substantially without a major trade.
Management changed the coach more than the offensive personnel. That leaves the same difficult requirement, converting good opportunities into efficient points. Orlando ranked 28th in wide-open three-point percentage at 36.5 percent despite generating plenty of those attempts. Vucevic adds another offensive option, but the new coach still needs lineups that preserve the defense while finding dependable shooting. Banchero's efficiency and Black's outside shot remain player-development assignments that no change of voice can complete by itself.
Projected finish is ninth in the East. We expect better health to help, but do not assume a major offensive breakthrough from a mostly returning roster. The Magic have a credible route to the direct-playoff group, and outside forecasts vary widely. That route requires evidence of better conversion and sustained two-way lineups, rather than another season spent explaining the shots that should have gone in.
Last season 52-30 | 4th in the East | Lost in Eastern Conference Finals
2025-26 efficiency 118.3 offense | 114.1 defense | +4.1 net per 100 possessions
Cleveland finished fourth at 52-30, won two seven-game series and was swept by New York in the conference finals. A 118.3 offensive rating supported regular-season success, but the postseason run contained repeated slow starts. The Cavaliers trailed by at least ten points in 12 of their 18 playoff games, an uncomfortable foundation for a team hoping to take one more step.
Koby Altman retained Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen still anchoring the frontcourt. Peyton Watson arrives to supply the athletic wing defense and spot-up shooting the roster has needed. Harden gets a full camp after joining at the previous deadline. That continuity should make the regular-season offense easier to organize.
The front office addressed the wing opening while leaving a thin margin behind the starters. Watson's larger role is a reasonable bet, but his best shooting stretch should not be treated as guaranteed production. Harden's age increases the importance of competent reserve creation. Mobley also needs enough offensive growth to help when the guards face pressure. Cleveland has improved the intended starting five without establishing equal certainty throughout the rotation.
Projected finish is third in the East. Mitchell, Harden and the returning frontcourt can win consistently, and Watson addresses a specific need. We keep the forecast just behind the teams with stronger recent efficiency or more settled chemistry. A healthier first-half offense would be better evidence of progress than another series of impressive recoveries from deficits.
A matching published game video is not available in the verified archive yet.
