Depleted Magic Defeated
Toronto, ON — In a rollercoaster of a game at Scotiabank Arena, the Toronto Raptors had a remarkable comeback to defeat the Orlando Magic 109-93.
The Magic, already dealing with a thin nine-man roster, had an unpleasant surprise when Jonathan Isaac had to leave early due to illness after going 0-3, leaving them to battle with just eight players the rest of the game.
Despite a promising start, Orlando’s shooting and lack of offense caught up to them, while Toronto heated up when it mattered most and turned the game on its head.
Injury Report Takes Its Toll
The Orlando Magic were already at a huge disadvantage coming into the game, and it only got worse after Isaac went down. Cole Anthony (illness), Moe Wagner (torn ACL), Franz Wagner (torn right oblique), Gary Harris (hamstring), Goga Bitdaze (concussion), Jalen Suggs (back), and Jett Howard (ankle), were all listed as out for the game. The Magic had to play with a weak eight-man rotation, which made the lack of bodies on the bench extremely noticeable as the game went on. On the flip side, the Raptors were almost at full strength, missing only Immanuel Quickley (hip) and Ochai Agbaji (hand), which played a significant role in their ability to maintain pressure throughout the game.
Magic Struggle to Maintain Early Lead
For the Magic, it was a tale of what could have been. Paolo Banchero did his best to keep Orlando in the game, leading with 26 points, but the team’s shooting was off once again, hitting only 29.0% of their three-pointers. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was a bright spot with 20 points, but the Magic’s inability to keep their foot on the gas in the second and third quarters was their downfall.
After a strong first quarter, where they built a 13-point lead, Orlando faltered on both sides of the ball, scoring just 13 points in the second quarter and allowing 40 in the third quarter, allowing Toronto to catch up from down 21 points and get up 15 points on the Magic in the fourth.
Raptors’ Comeback Fueled by Bench and Stars
Toronto’s resilience shone throughout the game, with Scottie Barnes orchestrating the offense with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, showing why he’s an All-Star candidate for the second year in a row. RJ Barrett also chipped in with 19 points, shooting lights out at 66.7% from the field.
The Raptors’ bench were the ones that really ignited the comeback, with Kelly Olynyk coming off the bench to score 12 crucial points, and helping the Raptors get that momentum to hit a ridiculous amount of threes during the game-changing third quarter where Toronto outscored Orlando 40-20.
Looking Forward with Hope
This loss was a reminder of the importance of a healthy roster for the Magic, who had half of the team on the injury report. With several key players out, it was a struggle, but there were moments early in the game that showed what the team might be capable of at full power.
The Magic are in a four-game skid of losing games right now, mainly due to both their health problems and their poor performances on offense with the off-shooting nights they’ve been having recently, but Orlando remains hopeful that these issues can be resolved in the near future. They will take it one step at a time, starting with their next game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday at the Kia Center.