Raptors Rise from Early Knockdown, Hand Magic Fourth Straight Loss

The Orlando Magic built a 21-point lead after eight minutes, but with only eight available players, that advantage wouldn't be enough. The Toronto Raptors' second-half blitz led to a fourth consecutive loss for Orlando — all of them by double digits.

Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) shoots against Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic had only nine available players for Tuesday's game at Toronto — and that number quickly became just eight — but they came out firing.

In the game's first eight minutes, the Magic built a 21-point lead, shooting 12-of-15 from the field, drilling its first four looks from three and committing no turnovers. And almost as suddenly, everything went downhill.

The Raptors turned up the defensive physicality, the Magic's offense cooled, and Toronto won the middle two quarters 61-33. In the final period, the Raptors led by as many as 22 points and cruised to a 109-93 victory, never letting the Magic back within single digits.

Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said postgame that his team had the right levels of energy, intensity, and communication. But then ...

"I think we hit a slow patch, they turned up their defense a little bit," Mosley said. "We weren't able to get to the basket as easily and we didn't finish some possessions at the rim. ... That third quarter got away from us as well."

"You want to come away with the win, but there's got to be a lesson in this loss. I think a big portion of that, one, is once we get bodies back, that will be a big change. Two, I think we've got to understand what exactly was successful in that first half that leads to doing it again in the second half."

Toronto's win was just its 11th this season. The Magic, 23-22 and eighth in the Eastern Conference, have lost four straight games.

After the hot start, Orlando shot just 23-of-70 from the field and 4-of-26 from three in the final 40 minutes. In contrast, Toronto, led by RJ Barrett's 19 points, shot 53.4 percent from the field and made 13 of 25 threes.

Toronto's reserves outscored Orlando's shorthanded bench 41-11. Jonathan Isaac, who was questionable before the game with an illness and missed the team's morning shootaround, left after four and a half minutes of play.

Asked postgame if he thought fatigue played a factor, Mosley said: "I mean, I don't really think it's an excuse at that point. It's just, that's a reality."

Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 26 points and 12 rebounds — his third double-double — but he also was responsible for five of the Magic's 14 turnovers. He played nine seconds shy of 32 minutes, his longest run since returning from a torn right oblique muscle.

Banchero said postgame that he felt good and wanted to play longer, but the runaway score made that unnecessary. Mosley liked his star forward's aggression in getting to the rim — a part of Banchero's game that is still coming around as he gets his legs under him.

"Those are things we’re gonna have to continue to do and continue to see, because he’s an aggressive force as he gets in there," Mosley said.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (20 points, 8-of-12) and Anthony Black (17 points, seven rebounds) each finished in double figures. Before fouling out with over three minutes to play, Wendell Carter Jr. had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double. Yet, he struggled to finish his attempts around the rim – shooting just 4-of-11 from the field. As a team, the Magic were 21-of-43 from the paint.

"We've got to do a better job of — all of us — finishing once we get [to the rim]," Mosley said. "But I loved our aggression when it came to getting to the rim."

Up Next

The Magic host the Portland Trail Blazers in their only trip to Orlando. Tipoff is 7 p.m. ET from the Kia Center on Thursday, Jan. 23.

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