[hobojoe]

The Cleveland Cavaliers hope to have LeBron James back in the lineup Tuesday when they visit the Orlando Magic at the TD Waterhouse Centre.

James, the Cavaliers' star second-year forward, has missed the past two games with a sprained left ankle suffered against Memphis on Wednesday.

Cleveland went 1-1 in the two contests, losing at New York on Friday, 99-96, and winning at Milwaukee on Sunday, 104-87.

Drew Gooden scored a career-high 33 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 28 and 18 rebounds for the Cavaliers in the game against Milwaukee.

The Magic rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final five minutes and took two brief leads late before falling at lowly Atlanta on Monday, 80-79.

Grant Hill, who scored 19 points, had a good look at a game-winning jumper for Orlando but the shot hit the rim, the backboard and the rim again before falling away.

Steve Francis scored 24 points but made just 7-of-19 shots for the Magic, who shot just 38 percent (30-of-79).

The teams are meeting for the first time this season. Cleveland went 2-1 against Orlando last season.

LINK

[hobojoe]

Gooden makes his return to Orlando. I'm looking for Drew to come out playing like he has something to prove. He may try to do too much, which would definitely help the Magic. Too bad Varejao is out tonight, I'd like to see him play a little more. He's so fun to watch, makes me really wish we had kept him.

[hobojoe]

Gooden puts up 9 and 5 in the first quarter for Cleveland. He looked really good out there.

[hobojoe]

Christie hit a tough 3-pointer with just under 15 seconds to go in the half to put the Magic up 2, but McInnis answered with a 3 of his own on the other end to put the Cavs up 1 at the half.

Francis has 2 awesome over the head passes to Howard for dunks in the first half. Hill and Howard both got in foul trouble which limited their minutes. Howard went the entire half without grabbing a single rebound. Hedo already has 12, which is always a good sign for the Magic.

[hobojoe]

Offensive Rebounds:

Cleveland- 17
Orlando 3

Cavaliers up 1, Magic just aren't shutting down Cleveland's role players. Traylor, Ilgauskas, Snow, McInnis, Gooden have all stepped up at some point tonight.

Steve-O and Hill are carrying the team on offense.

[hobojoe]

Hill misses two clutch free throws!

Magic go back and play great defense, force a miss. Francis comes down the other end and gets fouled by Ilgauskas, makes both free throws. Magic up 3 with 50 seconds to go. Can't let this one go, that'd just be awful.

[hobojoe]

A 3-point play by LeBron, 3 free throws by Francis and a Snow miss means we're back to a 3 point Magic lead with 15 seconds to go, Cleveland ball.

[hobojoe]

NO! McInnis hits a 3 at the buzzer to send it to OT!

I think it was too late, won't count. Magic will win.

[Captain Obvious]

It doesn't count. Magic WIN! That makes up for the crap last night.

[hobojoe]

It's official, Magic win!

[hobojoe]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious!
It doesn't count. Magic WIN! That makes up for the crap last night.

AND the Wizards lose their third in a row, meaning the Magic are back to within a game and a half of them for 2nd place in the Southeast division.

[JNice]

Whew, doesn't get much closer than that.

[jvanbusk]

Thanks Orlando.

Signed,
Detroit Pistons fan.

[hobojoe]

Boxscore

25 points and 13 assists for Francis, and of course 7 TO's because it was a good game. Francis missed two 3's at the end of the first and 2nd quarter (both were wild shots that he only took because the quarter was almost over) and still was 10-14 from the floor. He played a terrific game in my opinion.

21, 6 and 4 for Hill.