NBA Playoffs: 3 Keys for the Orlando Magic to win Game 4 over the Toronto Raptors

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Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic, Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors

ORLANDO, FL – DECEMBER 28: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors reach for the rebound during the game against Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic on December 28, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Orlando Magic face what feels like a must-win game at the Amway Center as they look to even their series with the Toronto Raptors.

Down by 12 points with four minutes to play, the Orlando Magic felt playoff desperation for the first time. The chance of them losing at home and going down 2-1 in their playoff series with the Toronto Raptors finally helped reality set in.

This is a resilient bunch and a team that has fought back from deficits and hardship time and time again. It is not in their DNA to give up or give in. Now the pressure is heightened.

In the final three minutes of the game, the Magic turned to their instant offense spark as he found the space to score. Terrence Ross scored eight points in the final three minutes of the game. The Raptors were struggling to slow him down and the tide was rising.

But it was not enough. When Kyle Lowry stole a rebound from the Magic with 20 seconds left, the Magic had run out of time.

Orlando conceded homecourt advantage and now have its backs against the walls in Game 4 to avoid a 3-1 series deficit with a trip to Toronto for Game 5. Now the Magic are truly running out of time.

Coach Steve Clifford would not call Sunday’s Game 4 meeting with the Raptors a must-win game. Neither would Nikola Vucevic — although he said it was important. But with his dry sense of humor, he followed up by saying if the Magic lose then Game 5 would be a must-win, by definition it is.

Evan Fournier did not mince words as he never does. He called this a must-win game.

"“It is a must-win for sure,” Evan Fournier said. “We must win them all. So we’ve got to start from the get-go for 48 minutes of real intensity. We’ll see how it goes.”"

At the very least, the Magic expressed a ton of regret they could not deliver on their home court for a raucous crowd. The Magic struggled to keep them engaged, but the crowd clearly lifted them as they made their run at the end of the game.

Orlando will get a second chance to win at home in Game 4. The team found something in the latter parts of that game and certainly are playing defense at a level well enough to win. It came down to little plays the Magic had to make.

Orlando is chasing and fighting at every moment. The Magic have to find a way to play from ahead and force the Raptors to claw their way back into the game. Playing that consistently is the trick Orlando has yet to solve this series.

And it is the biggest one to make in Game 4.