CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers earned their first win of the preseason Sunday night, defeating the Orlando Magic 119-105 at Rocket Arena in the second exhibition game for both clubs. Veteran guard James Harden made his Cleveland preseason debut and led all scorers with 24 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 3 of 5 from three-point range, in 26 minutes of action. The game, which tipped off at 6:42 p.m. and aired on ESPN, followed the Cavs’ 124-113 preseason-opening loss to the Boston Celtics on Oct. 8.
Harden was one of six Cavaliers in double figures. Forward Evan Mobley added 14 points, while wings Mario Hezonja and Jaylon Tyson scored 13 apiece. Center Thomas Bryant chipped in 12 off the bench and guard Donovan Mitchell had 11. Mobley and center Jarrett Allen each grabbed seven rebounds, and Mitchell handed out a team-high six assists. For Orlando, forward Tristan de Silva scored a team-high 17 points. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson played his starters into the third quarter before turning the game over to the reserves in the fourth.
Hezonja’s return to the NBA continued to draw attention. The 31-year-old Croatian, the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, spent the past six seasons playing in Europe — most recently with Real Madrid, where he was named the 2025-26 Liga ACB MVP — and filled the box score Sunday with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots in 17 minutes, finishing with a game-best plus-15 rating.
The Cavaliers wrap up their preseason slate Tuesday, Oct. 13, when they visit the Magic in Orlando for a 7 p.m. rematch. Cleveland opens the regular season the following week with a roster blending veteran stars and a deep bench that has produced balanced scoring through two exhibition contests.
