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CLEVELAND- Coming into tonight the Cavaliers host the visiting Orlando Magic. The Magic have not have not been to Cleveland in nine months, plus it was nine months ago that the Magic knock the Cavaliers out of the playoffs. Even with the Cavaliers already beating the Magic in Orlando on November 11th, I feel that coming into tonights game that the Cavaliers want to make a statement. One of the biggest differences is the presents of Shaquille O’Neal at the canter position. He is the answer that is needed for the Magic’s Dwight Howard. You could feel the energy in the crowd before the game started, the fans want this win just as bad.

As the first quarter got underway you could tell it was going to be a physical game as O’Neal and Howard kept going at it on each end of the court. Due to two early cheap foul calls on O’Neal he had to go to the bench with 6:40 left in the first. The score was going back and forth until the the Cavaliers were able to get a 4 point lead 18-14 with 5:20 left in the first making the MAgic take a timeout. As the first quarter continued the Magic started to pay to much attention to LeBron James and J.J. Hickson was taking advantage of the fact that the Magic were ignoring him. The Cavaliers were able to extend there lead to twelve as Hickson had 13 points with 3:15 left in the first. The Cavaliers were also able to get Howard into early foul trouble as Howard got his second personal foul with 2:15 left in the first. The Cavaliers were able to finish the first quarter with a push led by James 15 points as the Cavaliers had a 14 point lead over the Magic 37-23. In the second quarter the Magic started off with a push of their own cutting the Cavaliers lead to 9 points 41-32 with 9:07 left in the second. Things between O’Neal and Howard kept getting aggressive as they both were hit with the third personal foul of the game with 8:20 left in the half. Then O’Neal was hit with a technical foul. The Magic continued their push in the second quarter as they were able to cut the Cavaliers lead down to 4 points with 5:59 left in the half making the Cavaliers to take a timeout. Both teams started going back and forth again as the Cavaliers maintained a 5 point lead 58-53 with 2:41 left in the half. As the half ended the Cavaliers were able to hang on to a 3 point lead 66-63. The Magic came out in the third quarter and got O’Neal to pick up his fourth personal foul as they took over the lead 75-70 with 6:48 left in the third. The Cavaliers were able to make Howard pick up his fourth personal foul with 6:28 left in the third. As the rest of the third quarter played out the Cavaliers were able to step up their defense and make a push ending the third quarter with a 87-83 lead. The fourth quarter got underway with both teams going back and forth and then with 8:56 left in the game the Cavaliers were able to make Howard pick up his fifth personal foul. The Cavaliers finally decided to step it up on put all the pressure on the Magic. It proved to be the winning edge that they needed as they went on to get their 13th win in a row 115-106.

LeBron James led the way for the Cavaliers with 32 points, 13 assist, 8 rebounds and 2 steals. J.J. Hickson had 20 points, 4 rebounds and 1 block. Anderson Varejao had 16 points and 4 rebounds. Daniel Gibson had 11 points, 5 assist, 3 rebounds and 1 steal. Shaquille O’Neal had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 1 block.

The Cavaliers next game is Thursday Feb. 18th against the Denver Nuggets at the Q on TNT. Tip off is at 8:00.