At times like this it’s difficult to see how the result of a basketball game can be the lead story anywhere. The political, legal and social atmosphere of the last few days had already cast a pall on the night’s proceedings, a gloomy atmosphere that was soon added to by some of the on-court proceedings. What was eventually a comfortable win ultimately became a secondary consideration.
The Magic, already undermanned and sporting their third starting unit of the season, were almost immediately confronted by the dispiriting specter of injury in their return home contest against the Cavaliers. Just 4 minutes and 25 seconds into the game, on a hard drive into the lane, Markelle Fultz went down in obvious and immediate pain after his left knee buckled with seemingly little in the way of contact.