Cavs didn't just lose, they were an embarrassment. Where was their toughness? - Terry Pluto

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CLEVELAND, Ohio - For the Cavs, this wasn't simply a playoff loss in Orlando.

It was a debacle, an embarrassment and a game that brought up the question of their toughness.

Not physical, but mental.

How could the Cavs not see this coming?

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"We'll take care of home," Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said before the game. "That's what Cleveland did. They took care of their home court - and that's what we have to do."

That's what they did, and the Cavs seemed overwhelmed by the Magic's energy and intensity.

"They set the tone," said Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff. "They played with a sense of urgency. This game is about the need to set the tone early."

Orlando is the NBA's fourth youngest team with minimal playoff experience. The Magic also were 29-12 on their court in the regular season, fourth best home record in the NBA.

WRONG HEADED-THINKING

Perhaps the worst thing that happened Thursday was Orlando missing its first nine shots. By the middle of the first quarter, the Cavs had a 10-3 lead.

Ballgame, the Cavs seemed to think.

They thought wrong.

They thought like a team that believed it was entitled to this victory simply because they had led for every second of the first two games.

They thought like a team with no interest in defense, no inner grit to bounce back once Orlando found its confidence.

Final Score: Orlando 121, Cavs 83.

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HOW TO EXPLAIN THIS?

The Cavs took the court in Orlando Thursday night leading the best-of-seven first-round series 2-0. Both wins were in Cleveland, and maybe the Cavs were fooled by that.

"Our defense has to hold us up," Bickerstaff said before the game.

Instead, the defense let them down.

The offense? I don't know what they're doing, and neither do they.

Donovan Mitchell had been the spark early in the first two games. He seemed distracted, not driving to the rim or pushing the pace.

He seemed to have his leg or something bothering him near the end of the second quarter of Game 2. He finished with 13 points on 6 of 16 shooting.

If Mitchell isn't right, this series can take a sour turn for the Cavs.

WHERE WAS EVERYONE ELSE?

Darius Garland was awful, shooting 2 of 10 for five points. He shot 50% in the first two games, which helped make up for some sloppy ballhandling. Garland is on a maximum contract, but he's been outrageously inconsistent.

Evan Mobley? He had two rebounds in 22 minutes. That's right, TWO rebounds … and there's a lot wrong with that.

Jarrett Allen was solid with 15 points and eight rebounds.

The Cavs were crushed on the boards: 51-32.

What was wrong? A lack of effort, period.

Max Strus? He was 2 of 6 shooting for four points. Strus is shooting 7 of 21 in the series, 2 of 14 from 3-point range. He had 18 rebounds in the first two games, only one in this game.

When there is a loss like this, a lot of the blame will fall on the coach. It should. But it's not all about Bickerstaff. The Cavs aren't a young team. All their key players have been through some pressurized playoff encounters.

It's Orlando that was supposed to be the team paralyzed when the playoff lights became too bright.

Instead, it was the Cavs who seemed frozen, unable to react to the first time they were challenged in this series.

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