The Orlando Magic get their second crack at the Toronto Raptors after Friday’s thrilling victory at the Amway Center.
Orlando Magic (7-20) vs. Toronto Raptors (13-13)
Time/TV: 6 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line: Raptors by 7
Tickets: $11-$2,868 on StubHub
Season Series: Raptors 121, Magic 108 in Toronto on Dec. 3; Magic 113, Raptors 109 in Orlando on Dec. 9; Tonight in Orlando; Feb. 14 in Toronto
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 98.8 | 112.3 | 110.8 | 50.8 | 32.2 | 13.0 | 27.4 |
| Orlando | 98.3 | 109.1 | 114.8 | 53.0 | 28.0 | 16.6 | 29.1 |
OMD Prediction
Seeing how the Orlando Magic handle success and strong play is one of the more fascinating mini-storylines of this past week. The team is still working toward consistency and to play their way to win more consistently. But the learning process can be hard and difficult. That is what the team has seen throughout this season. The NBA is unforgiving after all.
But this has been a good week for the Magic. They had a strong effort in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks and then picked up solid, if sometimes shaky, wins over the LA Clippers and Toronto Raptors. All very good signs for the team moving forward.
But the question is always what can you do in the next game? What carries over and what continues to the team’s successes? That is what this game is about for the Magic, especially after taking the win on Friday night against the same opponent.
3 Keys To Watch
Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers
It feels like repetition to keep focusing on the same things. But turnovers are issues that young teams go through. And especially against this Toronto Raptors team, turnovers are always a big storyline. There is no avoiding the question or avoiding it when facing Toronto.
The Raptors turned 20 turnovers into 20 points in Friday’s game. That was a big reason the Raptors were able to keep the game close despite the Magic’s good shooting percentage. And it remains one of the biggest areas the Magic have to improve.
Orlando is 29th in the league with a 16.6 turnover rate. Considering the Raptors lead the league in opponent turnover rate (17.2 percent) and points off turnovers per game (21.6 per game). This is the biggest factor in this game and where the Magic could win or lose it.
Ball movement and shooting
The Orlando Magic had an uncharacteristically strong shooting game. It was the team’s best offensive rating at 116.5 points per 100 possessions was the team’s best since the win over the Phoenix Suns nearly a month ago.
It has been tough sledding offensively for this team. It was not just about Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero having super games.
The Magic’s passing has been a point of concern throughout the season. Orlando is last in the league at 21.2 assists per game and 27th in the league with 266.3 passes per game. The Magic have just 40.2 potential assists per game, 29th in the league.
But in Friday’s win, the Magic had 24 assists, 270 passes made and 37 potential assists. Those are all solid increases and show how critical passing can be.
Still, the Magic rely heavily on dribble penetration and getting to the foul line for their offense. After finishing last year with the second-fewest isolation possessions, the team is averaging 7.3 isolation possessions per game (17th in the league). That is how much Banchero and Wagner have changed some of the Magic’s attack.
Bench ups and downs
The Orlando Magic’s battle for consistency is certainly still about getting everyone on the same page. That has included getting consistent effort from the starters and the reserves and finding the right rotations to use.
In Wednesday’s win over the LA Clippers, the Orlando Magic’s starters struggled. Every starter except for Franz Wagner had a negative plus-minus in the win while every player off the bench had a positive plus-minus. In the win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday, every starter had a positive plus-minus while only Kevon Harris had a positive plus-minus off the bench.
It is good that each unit can lift the other up when they struggle. That is not a bad thing. But consistency is the goal. And the Magic’s bench has understandably struggled this year considering the team’s injuries this season.
The Magic average just 32.0 points per game off the bench, 21st in the league. Their depth is certainly a concern for the moment. But hopefully, some health soon will help resolve this issue. Even having the players they have had back recently has helped stabilize the rotations some and give the Magic a chance to
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