Cavs score in NBA preseason. Cavaliers vs Magic live updates, highlights
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers will receive a tune-up against another Eastern Conference rival on Sunday, Oct. 11, at Rocket Arena.
The Cavs will face the Orlando Magic in the second preseason game of the year for both teams. The Cavs opened the preseason on Thursday, Oct. 8, when they lost to the Boston Celtics 124-113.
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Tipoff for the Cavs-Magic exhibition matchup is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Updates will be here throughout the game:
Below is some pregame information.
Where to watch Cavaliers vs. Magic tonight on TV
Cavs versus Magic will be televised by ESPN. The TV broadcasts of Cavs preseason games will also be available on DAZN, which will stream all regular-season games not selected exclusively for national broadcasts.
For more information about how to watch the Cavs during the 2026-27 season, click here.
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How can I listen to Cavs vs Magic preseason game tonight on radio?
The local radio broadcast of the Cavs-Magic preseason game can be heard via WTAM (1100-AM), WMMS (100.7-FM) or La Mega Cleveland (Spanish broadcast, 1300-AM).
Who are the new Cleveland Cavs players for the 2026-27 season?
The Cavs’ new players are wing Peyton Watson, forward Mario Hezonja, rookie guard Meleek Thomas (Cleveland’s 34th overall draft pick this year), rookie center Ernest Udeh Jr. and rookie center Khalifa Diop (Cleveland’s 39th overall pick in 2022).
Watson started the preseason opener, and he is projected to start during the regular season, too. The expectation is Hezonja will be a role player who comes off the bench. After losing the sweepstakes for Akron native LeBron James, who announced on July 24 he would join the 76ers, the Cavs acquired Watson from the Denver Nuggets in a sign-and-trade deal on Aug. 19 and agreed to sign Hezonja on July 26.
The three other newcomers are rookies and expected to play more for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League than the Cavs. Thomas has a chance to be exception. Although no one should ever put too much stock in Summer League results, Thomas’ inclusion on the 2026 NBA Summer League First Team is worth noting.
James Harden injury news
Cavs veteran point guard James Harden sat out the preseason opener on Thursday, Oct. 8, with the team citing right ankle soreness as the reason.
After the game, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said there is no concern about Harden’s ankle.
Speaking of Harden, much will be made about the Cavs having him on the roster from the beginning of the 2026-27 season. Harden joined the 2025-26 Cavs midstream because they acquired him on Feb. 3 in a trade sending point guard Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Harden helped the Cavs finish the regular season with a record of 52-30 and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. The move for Harden put Cleveland in NBA Finals-or-bust mode. In the playoffs, the Cavs defeated the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons in two seven-game series. Then the Cavs were swept 4-0 by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cavs had not advanced to the conference finals since 2018, when they still had 2003 St. Vincent-St. Mary High School graduate James leading them. And the Cavs went to the conference finals for the first time without James on their roster since 1992.
Like Harden, Cavs forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin (lower back soreness) also sat out the preseason opener.
Cleveland Cavaliers preseason schedule and results
Coming off training camp practices in Malaga, Spain, the Cavs have three preseason games.
Remember, the Cavs lost their preseason opener to the Celtics. In addition to hosting the Magic on Sunday, Oct. 11, the Cavs are set to wrap up the preseason by visiting the Magic at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13.
When do the Cavs start the 2026-27 regular season?
The Cavs will start the regular season at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Philadelphia 76ers. Cleveland’s regular-season home opener is slated for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24 against the Brooklyn Nets.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs score in NBA preseason. Cavaliers vs Magic live updates, highlights
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