The Orlando Magic held serve through the first three quarters and looked to score a big upset. The Toronto Raptors turned it on in the fourth quarter to win.
The Orlando Magic had things rolling. Their shots were falling, their defense was scrambling and the team was playing exactly how they want to play. Orlando was brilliant again, putting the screws to the best team in the Eastern Conference.
All they had to do was finish the fourth quarter. Twelve minutes separated them from a feel-good win on this long homestand. That was the chance the Magic desperately needed.
The Toronto Raptors have their secret weapon in their bench. And in the fourth quarter, they showed why they might be the best team in the Eastern Conference. Even with DeMar DeRozan out for the game.
Orlando failed to record a field goal for nearly the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter. Toronto used that time to pull back from an eight-point deficit to start the quarter. Toronto’s bench unit featuring Delon Wright, Pascal Siakam and Lucas Nogueira put a vice on the Magic.
Orlando scored just 10 points in the fourth quarter total. Kyle Lowry helped put the final nail in the coffin, hitting the game-winning three and assisting on the go-ahead three.
The train had left the station and left Orlando behind. The Magic fell to the Raptors 93-86 at the Amway Center on Tuesday.
Orlando had control of this game throughout much of the contest. It seemed like the team had put some pieces together starting Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac together for the first time. Their defense swarmed Toronto and made it hard for the team to get easy baskets. Jonathan Isaac was flying all around and blocking shots and recording deflections.
The Magic offense was not scoring effectively but kept up that defensive energy.
Eventually, the Magic stopped hitting shots. Their ball movement slowed to a crawl as they over dribbled around the perimeter and had a general lack of movement. The Magic’s defense eventually collapsed.
The Raptors are simply not a team that will allow a slip in execution. Toronto ratcheted up its defense and Orlando fell to the pressure.
Next: Tyronn Lue's leave of absence puts coach's health in focus
The Orlando Magic continue their homestand Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers.