How concerned should the Cleveland Cavaliers be after historic Game 3 loss to Orlando Magic?

The Cleveland Cavaliers shouldn't panic after the Game 3 loss to the Orlando Magic, but they should be on high alert heading into Game 4.

Heading into the start of the NBA Playoffs, there were many that were hesitant about believing in the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, after winning Games 1 and 2 against the Orlando Magic by a combined 24 points, some of that hesitance began to wear off. Perhaps the Cavs could truly be a team to make a deep run in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Maybe Donovan Mitchell is a capable No. 1 star and perhaps Cleveland does have a good enough supporting cast for this team to make waves.

Then, Game 3 happened. In the quiet of playing on NBA TV, the Magic throttled their way to a punishing 38-point win over the Cavs to get right back in the series. As the Cavs recover from their wounds of the deflating loss, you can't help but wonder if Cleveland should be more concerned about this loss than normal.

In a vacuum, the Cavs lost one game. They still lead the series 2-1. However, this is the type of loss that can haunt a team moving forward. It's one thing to lose a playoff game, it's an entirely different thing to lose by 40 points.

This wasn't just a loss for Cleveland, it was their worst NBA playoff loss ever. Heading into Game 4, is this something that's going to linger in the back of their minds? This is a loss that not only could affect the Cavs' psyche moving forward but also one that could give the Magic superb confidence moving forward in this series.

How concerned should the Cleveland Cavaliers be after their Game 3 loss?

The Magic clearly made adjustments ahead of Game 3 and pretty much every one of them worked against the Cavs. I don't think now is the time to panic for Cleveland. However, one thing that could potentially change my mind is how they come out in Game 4.

After the Magic's changes, now is the time for Cleveland to strike back in that department. If the Cavs aren't able to make the right adjustments heading into Game 4, then we can have a completely different conversation. But for now, it would be too early to panic. It would be crazy to say that the Cavs should panic after one loss.

At the same time, Game 3 needs to be a wake-up call for the Cavs. The honeymoon to the start of the playoff is over. It's time for the Cavs to strike back. With Game 4 on the horizon, will they?