The Orlando Magic struggled offensively and turned the ball over too much, once again succumbing to the Toronto Raptors in a frustrating defeat.
The Orlando Magic were flying high when Aaron Gordon soared for a two-handed alley-oop jam from Evan Fournier.
The team was flying around the rim, blocking shots and being general pests around the rim. It did not matter who it was — Khem Birch, Jonathan Isaac, Aaron Gordon, Mo Bamba or, even, Markelle Fultz. They were energetic and active.
Orlando’s defense was back to its hyper-focused, pestering ways. The Toronto Raptors were fighting for everything and having to crash the glass to scratch out points. Pascal Siakam could not figure out how to get past Jonathan Isaac.
That defense occasionally created fast-break opportunities. The Magic were able to attack and get to the foul line. Everyone was feeling good up 11 points.
Then the defending champions turned it on a bit more. They tightened the screws. The Magic suddenly could not find space. Their passes went wayward. Their limited ball movement stopped. Orlando was stuck again.
Toronto would not stay stuck for long to race ahead for a 90-83 win at Amway Center on Friday.
The Magic’s penchant for blocking shots turned against them. Their crashes into the paint left shooters open beyond the arc. And suddenly everything had come undone.
Norman Powell scored 19 of his career-high 33 points in the third quarter, hitting from the outside and then attacking the inside. The Magic were able to lock their defense back in. But the offense never really came back around.
The team was sloppy with 22 turnovers leading to 18 Toronto points — and incidentally 18 fast-break points. That is a sure way to lose against the Raptors. Orlando made several critical errors, driving into traffic or driving into traps without a plan for escape, which simply cannot happen for this team to win.
Orlando shot only 34.6 percent from the floor and 7 for 29 from beyond the arc. It was a long night on that front. But the defense was more than capable of staying in it.
In addition to the 11 blocks, the Magic held the Raptors to 36.9-percent shooting. Pascal Siakam missed 18 of 22 shots. Orlando played better than Toronto’s bench and put itself in a position to win.
Until the team took itself out of that position.
The Orlando Magic will turn around and face the defending Western Conference-champion Golden State Warriors on Sunday to close this mini-homestand.