Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 116, Toronto Raptors 87
The Orlando Magic put on a blitz in the second quarter, finding a new energy to rout the Toronto Raptors on the Amway Center floor.
81. 116. 38. Final. 87
Nikola Vucevic had everyone’s eyes on him. The Toronto Raptors were keenly aware of what he was trying to do and trying to find a way to stop him. The shot clock was winding down and the Orlando Magic needed their safety valve.
Evan Fournier dumped the ball into Nikola Vucevic on the block and the defense began to collapse around him. The strongside defender stayed with Evan Fournier, but the weakside defender was cheating off the opposite corner. This was the most difficult pass to make, but the one Vucevic would have to make or drive straight into a double team and a much more difficult shot.
Vucevic turned over his shoulder and saw the defense shifting and adjusting. He quickly whipped the ball on a dime to Jonathan Isaac in the corner. The second-year player calmly drained the 3-pointer.
Vucevic put together a masterful second quarter, scoring 12 points. But it was his passing that should have everyone taking notice. That and his complete dominance on the glass and against anyone the Raptors threw at him.
As if to put emphasis on this, on one third-quarter possession, Vucevic grabbed a rebound with one hand as he warded off a guard assigned to box him out and then turned, took one dribble and dunked it with one hand.
Statement made.
The same statement made by the Magic’s defense, that stymied and quieted the Raptors offense all night long. They scrambled to shooters and made everyone think twice before firing. That moment of indecision knocked Toronto out of rhythm.
The team with the best record in the NBA had no answers, shooting just 29.5 percent from the floor. Orlando used a 35-15 third quarter to walk all over Toronto 116-87 at Amway Center on Friday night.
This was not a case of everything Orlando doing going right. They had plenty of issues including some cool shooting (47.3 percent) and turnovers — 15 in total. The Magic tried out some new rotations that included reinserting Wesley Iwundu into the lineup and Jonathon Simmons playing point guard with the second unit.
And the Raptors gave the Magic a small break with Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas missing the game. But Orlando’s defensive effort was more than enough. The Magic scrambled and communicated well after some struggles in the first quarter. And they never looked out.
A+. What didn’t Nikola Vucevic do in this game? That is a serious question because he had his fingerprints on everything. From fighting for low post position against former teammate <a href=. C. Orlando Magic. NIKOLA VUCEVIC
JONATHON SIMMONS. B. <a href=. G. Orlando Magic
A. Jonathon Simmons’ move to point guard brought with it another change to the rotation as <a href=. G/F. Orlando Magic. WESLEY IWUNDU
F. Orlando Magic. AARON GORDON. B. If you look at the box score, you might not be that impressed with <a href=
2nd East. TORONTO RAPTORS. D. Sometimes it is not your night. But the Toronto Raptors are a team that should have supreme confidence in themselves and the believe they will always come out on top. Even if they are down a few players. And that is especially against a team like the Orlando Magic that was struggling. With the way the Raptors started it certainly looked like that.<p>Toronto missed some easy shots throughout the game. But the team was not really getting a ton of them. This game was more than Kyle Lowry’s absence. Toronto shot just 29.5 percent and was outscored 67-34 in the middle two quarters. It was a rout in every way and Toronto could not get itself back in the game.</p><p>The Raptors were turning to Kawhi Leonard to do that, but his hot shooting from earlier in the game dissipated. And the game slowly got out of hand and away from them. Orlando was the more physical team and knocked Toronto back in those middle quarters.</p>. 26-11
Next. Nikola Vucevic's All-Star bid tied to Orlando Magic's success. dark
The Orlando Magic wrap up their homestand before beginning a difficult six-game road trip on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons at the Amway Center.