ORLANDO, Fla. _ Nikola Vucevic finished with a game-high 21 points while Evan Fournier scored 16 as the Orlando Magic did enough to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 94-85, in the regular-season opener for both teams Wednesday night at Amway Center.
Markelle Fultz finished with 12 points and six assists in his first regular-season NBA game since Nov. 19, 2018. Fellow point guard D.J. Augustin delivered nine points and five assists and helped spark the Magic in the third quarter.
Seven players scored at least seven points for the Magic, who led by as many 20 points in the first half.
Tristan Thompson and Collin Sexton each scored 16 points to lead the Cavaliers, who pulled within 91-85 on a 3 by Cedi Osman with 42.1 seconds left to play.
After a Vucevic free throw, Sexton missed a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession. Vucevic got the rebound, was fouled and made both free throws to extend the lead to nine.
Fultz received a big ovation from fans during pregame introductions and gave them more to cheer about once play started. Fultz made his first four shots, including an acrobatic, scooping layup, and finished the first quarter with eight points.
Fultz also threw a short lob to Mo Bamba for a dunk that fired up the Amway crowd.
After his hot start, Fultz missed five straight shots _ including three 3-point attempts _ before delivering a thunderous one-handed dunk late in the fourth quarter.
The Magic broke the game open with a 16-0 run in the second quarter that started on a 3-pointer by Al-Farouq Aminu and ended on two free throws by Vucevic.
Augustin and Terrence Ross also hit 3s to help spark the run, which gave the Magic a 46-28 lead.
After hitting 10 of their first 15 shots, the Cavaliers finished the half by going 6 for 29 (20.7%).
Entering the game, Magic coach Steve Clifford was worried about the Cavaliers' offensive rebounding. It wasn't much of an issue in the first half. The Cavaliers managed five offensive rebounds but got no second-chance points out of them.
Instead, the Cavaliers took advantage of a sluggish third quarter by the Magic to get back in it. The Cavaliers opened the frame with a 13-4 run to pull within 59-54.
The Magic opened up some breathing room early in the fourth after Ross sank a long jumper and a 3 before Bamba made a 3 off a pass from Fultz that made it 79-67.
The Magic are on the road for their next two games, with the first coming Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. The Magic then travel to Toronto to face the defending NBA champion Raptors on Monday.
