The Toronto Raptors hosted the Orlando Magic for a late afternoon tip off on Sunday. The Raptors held a 30-25 lead after the first quarter, but the Magic refused to be silenced outscoring the home team 30-23 in the second quarter to take a 55-53 lead into halftime. The start of the second half resulted in a back and forth affair, with the Magic holding on to their slim two point differential heading into the final frame. The Raptors stepped up defensively, holding Orlando to just 18 points in the fourth quarter, and the Raptors managed to separate themselves to earn a 105-100 win.
Neither team shot well from the free throw line, especially the Raptors. Toronto managed just 64% on 45 attempts, Orlando made just 67% of their attempts, but only attempted 18 free throws in the game.
DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points (18 in the first half) while adding four rebounds and five assists. DeRozan shot just 6-16 from the field, but he went 13-16 from the free throw line, continuing his aggressive mentality of attacking the rim and putting pressure on opposing defenses. Kyle Lowry scored 18 points, while handing out seven assists, grabbing 5 rebounds, and collecting three steals.
Jonas Valanciunas was active for the game but did not play, as the Raptors coaching & training staff continue to be cautious with the big man’s left hand injury. Bismack Biyombo stepped into the starting role once again and earned another double-double, twelve points and eleven rebounds, to go along with six blocks. Along with Biyombo, Jason Thompson provided much needed defense. Thompson posted ten rebounds and two steals, as well as eight points. Terrence Ross scored 13 points off the bench on a very efficient 5-10 shooting.
Raptors’ backup point guard, Cory Joseph was given the game off to rest, and as a result Raptors’ rookie Delon Wright saw 16 minutes of playing time off the bench. James Johnson is still out due to plantar fasciitis, and the other Raptors’ rookie, Norman Powell, received another start at small forward in his place. Patrick Patterson was ruled out for this game, after suffering a left ankle injury vs. the Boston Celtics on Friday night.
Evan Fournier and Victor Oladipo each scored 21 points for the Magic, doing everything they could to keep Orlando in the game against the Eastern Conference’s second place Toronto Raptors. Ersan Ilyasova scored ten points and also collected nine rebounds, but fouled out of the game after picking up his sixth foul late in the fourth quarter. One of the Magic’s newest acquisitions, point guard, Brandon Jennings scored nine points, dished out seven assists, and grabbed four rebounds.
Andrew Nicholson, Orlando Magic & Canadian Senior Men’s National team center and Mississauga, Ontario native, always seemed to relish the opportunity to play in his hometown. Nicholson posted 15 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and managed two blocks in the game.
The Raptors’ next game is Wednesday March 23 in Boston vs. the Celtics, to start a three game road trip. Toronto is now 48-21 on the season, one game away from tying their franchise single season best 49 wins, and are currently just one game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers in the race for the NBA Eastern Conference number one seed.
Postgame Reactions:
Bismack Biyombo
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5peXO43c_Ok]Dwane Casey
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujZ1xRoNJGY]Luis Scola
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebJDk-MWWPo]Jason Thompson
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HetElbNId0k]DeMar DeRozan
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