Cleveland, OH
Lesson learned? Who’s to blame? Being real about the Cavs’ loss to Orlando – Terry Pluto
CLEVELAND, Ohio – “It’s one game, lesson learned.”
That’s what coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the Cavs lost 121-83 in Orlando on Thursday.
It was the most lopsided playoff loss in franchise history. It came after the Cavs won the opening two games in Cleveland, as the best-of-seven series is still 2-1 in their favor.
But I have a question: Why did the Cavs have to “learn” any lesson about Game 3?
It was a surprise a young Orlando team would be inspired on its home court? It was a surprise the crowd was loud? It was a surprise …
I’ll stop right there.
No surprise, period.
Not for the Cavs, who have far more playoff experience than the Magic. I’m not simply criticizing Bickerstaff. The coach said Orlando would be a different team at home and stressed that to his players.
Veterans such as Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Georges Niang, Caris LeVert and others know that. Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro had their first painful playoff experience last season when the Cavs were overwhelmed by New York in five games.
As bad as that team was in Madison Square Garden in 2023, this performance was worse.
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff had no answers for the Orlando in Game 3. AP
IT WAS MORE THAN THE FIRST QUARTER
“It was the first quarter,” said Bickerstaff. “They set the tone. They came out and played with a sense of urgency … They set the tone, and we were chasing them.”
This was true, but only to an extent.
A nervous and hyped-up Orlando team missed its first nine shots. That’s right NINE misses to open the game. The Cavs had a 10-3 lead in the middle of the first quarter.
Then … nothing.
At the end of the first quarter, Orlando had a 31-21 lead.
I repeat, the score was 31-21 … not 131 to 21. There are lots of 10-point swings in most NBA games.
That is not game over. It’s more like “game on,” as in Orlando was not about to fall behind and stay behind as it did in the first two games in Cleveland.
PLAYOFF PSYCHOLOGY
What often happens on the road is something like this: The home team trailing in a series comes out strong. It grabs an early lead as it is fueled by the crowd and a sense of desperation.
The Magic knew that if they lost, the series was over. The record of teams down 3-0 in a series and then winning it … 0-191.
For Orlando, it was now or never.
For the Cavs, it was almost like, “Hey, we’ll get them next game.”
That was the wrong attitude.
There often is an emotional drop when the home team takes an early big lead – especially a team with so little playoff experience. Then they become vulnerable.
That’s also a lesson most of the Cavs should have already known. If they did, they refused to act on it.
Donovan Mitchell played like his knee or something was bothering him. He had only 13 points. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
WHO IS TO BLAME?
I fault the players as much as Bickerstaff.
In the first two games, Mitchell led the first-quarter charge. He did bang his cranky knee early in the game. Perhaps that was behind his generally passive play.
Orlando also put premier defender Jalen Suggs on Mitchell, and often double-teamed the Cavs star. That should not be a shock. In fact, Orlando should have tried that earlier in the series.
So Mitchell was struggling. Where was everyone else?
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Darius Garland shot 2 of 10 for five points. Evan Mobley had only two more rebounds than you did last night. That’s right, the 7-footer had a pair of rebounds in 22 minutes.
By the middle of the first quarter, it was obvious Orlando was sending everyone to the boards for rebounds. The Cavs owned this area in the first two games.
Cleveland’s response?
Jarrett Allen had eight rebounds. Mitchell had five. No one else had more than three as the Cavs were embarrassed 51-32 on the boards.
The Cavs were a soft team, especially from a mental standpoint.
At least one team was inspired, as Orlando took control of the game early and the Cavs folded. AP
IT IS ONE GAME
The Cavs are back on that same court Saturday at 1 p.m.
A concern is Mitchell’s physical condition. Other than a few drives to the rim late in the first half, he displayed little quickness and leaping ability. He finished with 13 points.
Mobley needs to get back on the boards. Orlando kept putting bodies on Allen, who had 38 rebounds in the first two games. He needs help.
Anytime Strus and Niang can make a few 3-point shots would be helpful. They are a combined 3 of 24 from behind the arc.
Mitchell is only 6 of 24 on 3-pointers.
Sam Merrill played in the second half and was 3 of 4 for nine points in 22 minutes.
Hint … hint. Maybe he needs more than the four total minutes he played in the first two games.
But for the Cavs, the real story is their mental toughness. I’m stressing that part of the story. Physically, the Cavs showed they can compete on the boards and defensively with the athletic Magic.
The Cavs also are more equipped in terms of experience and emotional maturity to win this series. That needs to be on display Saturday. There are no secrets in terms of effort required to at least be competitive.
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Cleveland, OH
Medical examiner releases new details about bodies of 2 young girls found in suitcases near Cleveland school
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner released new information about the bodies of two young girls found in suitcases in Cleveland’s South Collinwood neighborhood.
On Wednesday morning, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner confirmed through DNA that the two girls are half-siblings.
At this time, they have not been positively identified, and no further information is available while the investigation is ongoing.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd confirmed the bodies of two young girls were found in suitcases on the city’s East Side on Monday evening.
Cleveland police were called just after 6 p.m. to a field in the area of East 163rd and Midland Avenue for a suspected dead body.
According to police sources, a man was walking his dog in the area, for the first time in a while, due to the snow, and the dog hit on the scent.
The man immediately called 911.
“The officers responded out and located a deceased individual that was in a shallow grave inside of a suitcase,” said Chief Todd.
When officers and homicide detectives got to the scene, Todd said they found the second body nearby.
According to the chief, both suitcases were partially buried in shallow graves. She said the victims had been there quite some time.
“It is traumatic for everyone. It is traumatic for those who live in the area to know that this was right there at their doorstep,” said Todd.
Authorities said one victim is believed to be 8-and-a-half to 13 years old and the other is believed to be 10-and-a-half to 14 years old.
“Locally, we have no reports of missing children to match these identifications. We are checking statewide as well. We have assistance from our state, federal and local partners,” said Todd.
Detectives are checking with state and federal partners as well.
This crime scene is located near Ginn Academy in the city’s South Collinwood neighborhood.
Police said the investigation remains in its very early stages and there is no indication of an ongoing threat to public safety.
If anyone has any information, they are asked to call the Cleveland Police Homicide Unit at 216-623-5464.
Tips can remain anonymous.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Bodies of 2 young girls found in suitcases in Cleveland’s South Collinwood neighborhood
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd on Tuesday confirmed the bodies of two young girls were found in suitcases on the city’s East Side Monday evening.
Cleveland police were called just after 6 p.m. to a field in the area of East 163rd and Midland Avenue for a suspected dead body.
According to police sources, a man was walking his dog in the area, for the first time in awhile due to the snow, and the dog hit on the scent.
The man immediately called 911.
“The officers responded out and located a deceased individual that was in a shallow grave inside of a suitcase,” said Chief Todd.
When officers and homicide detectives got to the scene, Todd said they found the second body nearby.
According to the chief, both suitcases were partially buried in shallow graves. She said the victims had been there quite some time.
“It is traumatic for everyone. It is traumatic for those who live in the area to know that this was right there at their door step,” said Todd.
Authorities said one victim is believed to be 8-and-a-half to 13 years old and the other is believed to be 10-and-a-half to 14 years old.
There is no indication at this time on their identities, according to police.
“locally we have no reports of missing children to match these identifications. We are checking statewide as well. We have assistance from our state federal and local partners,” said Todd.
Detectives are checking with state and federal partners as well.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner has taken custody of the bodies and will conduct further examination to determine the cause of death.
This crime scene is located near Ginn Academy in the city’s South Collinwood neighborhood.
Police said the investigation remains in its very early stages and there is no indication of an ongoing threat to public safety.
If anyone has any information, they are asked to call the Cleveland Police Homicide Unit at 216-623-5464.
Tips can remain anonymous.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Thousands of FirstEnergy customers are without power in Cuyahoga County this Tuesday.
The total number reached 31,785 reported outages in Cuyahoga County at noon.
That number decreased to 16,486 as of 1:10 p.m.
There were just 2,751 still without power less than an hour later at 2 p.m.
FirstEnergy estimates power to be restored to most impacted customers between 2-4 p.m. Tuesday.
FirstEnergy spokesperson Brooke Conlan said this is due to small fires on poles.
According to Conlan, the misty rain combined with salt on the road can cause contamination on utility poles, which causes electricity to travel across the the pole and cause the fire.
Conlan added their crews are working as quickly as possible to restore power.
Due to the outages, the Parma Justice Center is closed, and all court proceedings are suspended for the remainder of Tuesday.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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