The Orlando Magic accomplished something they hadn’t done since February 2021, winning three games in a row. On Sunday, the Raptors fell to the Magic 111-99, who were playing at the Amway Center for the second time in a row.
“Our grit during the game impressed me,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We stayed the course despite knowing that we would have to fight hard (and we won). Shots weren’t falling early, but we stayed in the game and kept fighting (and won).”
Orlando was led by second-year forward Franz Wagner, who scored 23 points (6-14 FGs, 3-5 3PTs, 8-10 FTAs), recorded four assists, and collected three rebounds. Paolo Banchero scored 20 points (6-14 FGs, 2-5 3PTs, 6-8 FTs) and collected 12 rebounds and five assists Sunday, his sixteenth-time doing so in 21 career games.
Orlando made 14 of 31 three-point attempts against Toronto (45.2 percent), with six different players attempting at least two.
The beginning of the Magic-Raptors game on Sunday evening was a little sleepy. Both teams began the game missing a lot of early shots. In the first five minutes, Toronto gained seven points because of turnovers by the Magic, who also committed four turnovers early on.
Despite shooting 31.6 percent from the field (6-19 attempts, 0-5 three pointers) in the first quarter, the Magic stayed close to the Raptors by staying aggressive and drawing fouls – especially Banchero.
Toronto head coach Nick Nurse unsuccessfully challenged a foul call on All-Star forward Pascal Siakam during a critical moment in the second quarter. Siakam was assessed his third and fourth fouls over a two-minute stretch as Orlando attacked the basket. Rather than removing Siakam after his third foul, Nurse kept him in the game, and he was penalized for his fourth foul a few possessions later.
Orlando took advantage of Siakam’s absence and raced to a 13-2 spurt to open a double-digit lead early in the game.
Orlando backup center Mo Bamba scored 12 of his 18 points in the second quarter, including three in-rhythm catch-and-shoot three-point field goals. Bamba scored nine rebounds and registered two blocks in 23 minutes against Toronto Sunday.
The officials were the busiest and most impactful participants during the disjointed and interrupted third quarter, which turned out to be an extremely disjointed and interrupted period. Both teams were desperate to find a little more offensive flow in the second half, but the referees had other plans.
In all, fifteen personal fouls were assessed in the third quarter (Orlando – 9, Toronto – 6), including one flagrant-one infraction on Markelle Fultz. The two teams took a combined 25 free throws in the twelve minutes after halftime.
In the late third quarter, Toronto point guard Fred VanVleet hit a three-pointer to bring the Raptors within seven points, but after officials reviewed the play, they awarded him a three-pointer that he previously made before the shot clock expired, bringing the Raptors within three points.
Wagner helped the Magic extend their lead early in the fourth quarter by making three consecutive deep three-point field goals.
Banchero’s clutch two-point jumpers in the last two minutes of the game helped put the Magic away, preventing the Raptors from mounting any kind of comeback.
Orlando outscored Toronto’s bench 49-23 thanks to a driving force from their backup point guard, who finished with 14 points, 6 assists (one turnover), and 6 rebounds.
After the game, Mosley emphasised how much this win-streak means to his team. The Magic will look to extend their winning streak to four games when they face the Atlanta Hawks at home Wednesday.
THE CONVERSATION.