With the NBA trade deadline looming at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Luol Deng and Jarrett Jack ignored the trade rumors swirling about them and helped the Cavaliers hold off the determined Orlando Magic, 101-93, on Wednesday night at The Q and push their winning streak to six games.
“I don’t worry about what I can’t control,” said Deng, who had 17 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 35.9 seconds left as the Cavs improved to 22-33, still three games out of the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
“Crazy enough, I didn’t divert from anything I normally do,” said Jack, who had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists on Wednesday, including a key steal and three free throws in the final minute. “It is what it is. If it happens, it happens. I try to stay focused and still be engulfed in what we’re trying to build here. Up until that moment — if it does or it doesn’t — I’m going to just stay who I am. I’m not going to let it affect the way I walk around, the way I play, the way I carry myself or anything.”
Both players are new to the Cavs this season. Deng, who hasn’t been linked to any specific deals, was traded from Chicago for Andrew Bynum and three draft picks on Jan. 7. Jack, who was rumored to be heading to Brooklyn first and later Sacramento, signed a four-year free-agent deal last summer. Both would prefer to still be part of the team when Friday dawns.
“I didn’t come here in July to leave in February,” said Jack, while admitting that he hasn’t played as well as he’d hoped to when he made the move. “I like the pieces that we have in place. We’re able to do some very, very special things here with the people we have in place already. As you can see right now, we’re playing damn good basketball.”
All-Star MVP Kyrie Irving led the Cavs with 22 points, including two big free throws with 1:16 left, seven rebounds and seven assists. Tristan Thompson added 16 points and 14 rebounds. Tyler Zeller, playing his best basketball in two seasons, saved the victory with a three-point play with 1:43 left after Arron Afflalo’s three-point play with 2:07 left brought the Magic within 89-87 after they had trailed by as many as 21 points in the third quarter.
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