What: Cavaliers vs. Los Angeles Clippers.

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: The Q.

TV/radio: FSN Ohio; WTAM AM/1100.

Magic 99 CAVS 88

Orlando, Fla. - Orlando's rumpled coach, Stan Van Gundy, is a tough guy to please, but even he didn't have much to complain about Thursday.

"Pretty good day for the Magic," he said after his team demolished the Cavaliers, 99-88, in Amway Arena. "There's days in your organization where it's tough up around the offices, where things just aren't going right, injuries or whatever.

"And then there's real good days, when you get three guys on the All-Star team, two named today, and get a win over the team with the best record in the league. That's a pretty good day for your organization right there."

Of course, the Cavaliers were on the other side of the equation. The evening started out with guard Mo Williams not being named an All-Star reserve by the Eastern Conference coaches, and it went straight downhill from there. The Cavs hardly looked like the best team in the Eastern Conference, failed to clinch the All-Star coaching slot for Mike Brown, and pretty much stunk up the joint.

It was their second-biggest loss of the season, and it came in front of a national TNT audience and celebrities like Tiger Woods and NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson.

Their biggest loss of the season was a 105-88 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 19 - the previous time they were on TNT.

If all that wasn't bad enough, recent contributor Tarence Kinsey sprained his right ankle with 1:21 left, an injury that looked so bad when it happened that he limped off the court and collapsed, prompting his coaches, teammates and the Cavs medical staff to rush across the court to his aid.

Unfortunately, that was the most support they offered each other. Except for a good first half by guard Wally Szczerbiak, the Cavs were pretty much a one-man show, and that man struggled mightily.

LeBron James hit just 10 of 27 shots, 3-of-9 in the second half when the game got away from the Cavs. In the second half, Cleveland made just 13 of 38 shots - 34.2 percent. As a result, the Magic used a 22-2 run at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth to turn a five-point game into a rout.

"We missed a lot of easy shots," James said. "Personally, I missed a lot of easy shots."

The Magic, meanwhile, looked like a team that should have more than three All-Stars. Center and All-Star starter Dwight Howard was spectacular with 22 points and 18 rebounds, while forwards Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis had 19 points each and guard Jameer Nelson added 18. Lewis and Nelson were added to the All-Star team before the game.

Their inside-out game was simply too much for the Cavs, still playing without injured center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and guard Delonte West. It was Orlando's seventh victory in the past nine games against Cleveland, and although the Magic (35-10) trail the Cavs (35-9) by a half-game in the East, it was Orlando that looked like the superior team.

"You've got to give Orlando credit," said Brown, who was hit with a technical midway through the third quarter. "They came out in the second half and turned it up defensively. They did a good job on that end of the floor. They allowed us to take some open jump shots because they wanted to shrink the floor and make the paint look crowded, and we missed them.

"Dwight Howard's a handful. I thought we did a better job on him in the second half than in the first half, but then they started hitting 3s. Most of the 3s they hit were contested. They've got three NBA All-Stars on their team, and Turk probably should be there, too. You've got four NBA All-Stars who know how to score, and you're going to have some trouble."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668

Cavaliers vs. L.A. Clippers

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m., The Q.

TV/radio: FSN Ohio; WTAM AM/1100.

Notable: Zydrunas Ilgauskas is expected to return to the lineup for the game. . . . Cavs are playing second game of a back-to-back. . . . They are undefeated at home at 21-0. . . . Cavs have won four straight against the Clippers and six straight against them in Cleveland. . . . Clippers are 5-15 on the road, where they have lost seven straight.

Game reset

Magic 99, CAVS 88 Game No. 44, at Amway Arena, Orlando, Fla.

What happened

The Magic just did too many things well against the Cavaliers on Thursday.

The star

Dwight Howard had 22 points and 17 rebounds.

The co-star

Magic teammates Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis added 19 points apiece, and Jameer Nelson had 18.

Highlight

It came early when LeBron James drove the right baseline for a monster slam, but the Cavs were already behind, 19-18.

Lowlight

Tarence Kinsey looked to have suffered a severe ankle injury with 1:21 left.