31 Facts From Raptors' 31-0 Run vs. Magic

The Toronto Raptors are feeling pretty good about themselves after beating the Orlando Magic by 52 points, which is the largest victory of the season.

During the win, the Raptors went on a 31-0 run in the first and second quarters, which put them in position to dominate the game. Here's a look at 31 facts to know from the team's epic run.

1. It's the longest unanswered run in NBA history

According to ESPN Research, it is the longest unanswered run in the play-by-play era, which began in the 1997-98 season.

2. It's (almost) the biggest win in Raptors history

The Raptors beat the Magic 139-87, which was the second-highest victory margin of victory in Raptors history. The team beat the Golden State Warriors 130-77 on April 2, 2021, inside the Scotiabank Arena.

3. Jamal Shead started it off

The run began with 5:17 left in the first quarter when Shead made a pair of free throws to cut their deficit from six to four. He made two more free throws later in the quarter and had a pair of assists to help the Raptors move forward.

4. Sandro Mamukelashvili was the leading scorer

Toronto Raptors forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili dunks the ball during the second half against the Utah Jazz | Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

The Raptors' big man flexes muscles during the run, with 11 of his 19 points in the game coming during that time.

5. Sandro Mamukelashvili also led the Raptors in plus/minus

When Mamukelashvili really was on the court, the Raptors outscored the Magic by 47 points. Only 22 players in NBA history have had a better plus/minus in a game.

6. RJ Barrett pitched in

Barrett had four of the team's 31 points on the run. He finished the game at 24 points on eight of 14 shooting.

7. Scottie Barnes also got things going

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes controls the ball as Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero tries to defend. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Scottie Barnes started the run on the bench, but he was able to jump in and step up to the plate. He had four points, two assists, and a pair of steals during the run.

8. Scottie Barnes has been on a tear lately

Barnes finished the game with 23 points on 9 of 14 shooting. He also had 15 assists, marking the fourth consecutive game in which he's hit double digits in that category. He also only played in 28 minutes because the Raptors were winning by so much in the fourth quarter.

9. A.J. Lawson even got involved

As a two-way player, Lawson has not played much this season, but he got opportunities against the Magic with so many people injured. Lawson finished the game with 14 points and made four three-pointers, two of which came during the long run.

10. Why A.J. Lawson was even playing to begin with

It's hard to imagine the Raptors had such success without Immanuel Quickley, Brandon Ingram, Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamison Battle on the court. The Raptors dug into their depth, and it paid off.

11. Jakob Poeltl's bucket finished things off

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl passes against the New Orleans Pelicans. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Poeltl hit a close shot with just over 10 minutes to go in the second quarter. That gave the Raptors a 25-point lead by the end of the run.

12. Raptors nearly put the nail in the coffin

By the time the Raptors were done with the run, they had a 96.9 per cent chance of winning the game, despite there being 10 minutes left in the second quarter.

13. It's the Magic's worst loss ever

While the Raptors were on the right side of history, the Magic were the unfortunate team on the other side. They lost by 50+ points for the first time in franchise history.

14. Raptors move up in the standings

With the win, the Raptors move one step closer towards clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. They are currently in the number five seed with a 42-32 record.

15. Raptors clinch winning season

For the first time since the 2021-22 campaign, the Raptors have won more games than they've lost. There are still eight games to go, but things are looking up for the Raptors even more.

16. Raptors win tiebreaker over Magic

The Raptors are one step closer towards clenching a spot in the playoffs. If they are tied with the Magic at the end of the season, they will have the tiebreaker since they have won two of three meetings.

17. Raptors get cushion for No. 5 seed

The Raptors are half a game ahead of the Atlanta Hawks for the number five seed and a full game ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers for the seventh seed. Their lead is now three games on the Magic, who are still in eighth place because the Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets both lost their respective games.

18. Raptors were very motivated for the game

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

“Obviously we dealt with several injuries today and I felt in the locker room before the start of the game there was a lot of determination there. The guys really wanted to go out there and compete," Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said via Sportsnet reporter Michael Grange.

19. The highlights are unreal

20. Turnovers were key

The Raptors forced 28 Magic turnovers during the game and scored 37 points off of that. Out of the Magic's fumbles, 12 of them happened in the first quarter, giving the Raptors 14 points and helping them get into the lead.

21. Jamahl Mosley is on the hot seat

While the Magic have been shaky throughout the year, a loss like this could be the final straw in Jamahl Mosley's tenure as head coach of the team.

22. The Magic are struggling

For the Magic, it was their seventh loss in eight games, and the team is still trying to fight for one of the final playoff spots in the East.

23. Raptors didn't realize run was going on

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes scores a basket against the Orlando Magic | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

“I actually didn’t know that that was even happening,” Scottie Barnes said via Grange. “I think we were all super locked in. Just trying to keep causing turnovers and keep trying as hard as we can on defence that it just helped the lead grow for us.”

24. Raptors kept their foot on the gas

The Raptors led by 25 points after the run, but they still managed to pull out a 52-point victory. After the 31-0, they outscored the Magic 94-67.

25. Raptors drained the Magic's spirit

Throughout the game, you could tell that there was a bunch of dejection in the Magic's body language, and that definitely sucked out any energy they had of trying to get their season back on track.

26. Raptors had fast break points galore

During the game, the Raptors had 39 fast break points. A lot of those were off of Magic turnovers, and that is how they were able to score so many points. When the Raptors turn their defence into offence, good things tend to happen.

27. Raptors led by as much as 56 points during the game

It's hard to stress how dominant this performance was from the Raptors, and the fact they were able to pull off a victory like this is definitely a major confidence boost down the line.

28. Raptors were aware of the standings

“We’re right there. We fought through the whole year to kind of get ourselves in a good position. We slipped up, we came back," Mamukelashvili said via Grange.

"Now we know that everything is so stacked, the margin of error is so small, I feel you got to be aware of it. I watch other games, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta — all the teams that are right there with us, what they’re doing and how they’re doing it and make sure we stay on top.”

29. Raptors' magic number is 8

The Raptors now have a magic number of eight to clinch one of the top six spots in the standings. This means eight wins would give the Raptors one of those spots.

30. Raptors aren't done yet

The Raptors know they have a lot of work to do if they want to achieve their goals this season. A win against the Magic is promising, but they still have several teams on their tails in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

31. Raptors hope to bring this energy to Detroit

The Raptors face off against the Pistons in their next game, and they have a chance to inch even closer towards safety from the play-in tournament. If they are to win, they need to bring the same energy they had during their miraculous 31-0 run.

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