Orlando, FL – The Orlando Magic (29-33) lost to the Toronto Raptors (19-42) 104-102 on Sunday at the Kia Center, in a game where a loss of urgency and energy forced a late-game comeback that fell short in the final seconds.
The first half of the game was fairly even, but Orlando’s energy and sense of urgency faded as the Raptors increased their pressure.
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley discussed the effects of the aggressive pressure.
“It was the level of physicality,” said Mosley. “Pushing us off our spots, not allowing us to get into our sets, you know, playing up against the clock. You know, their physicality and their aggression started off a little bit more than ours in that moment.”
“We turned it off. I think it was 70-71 close there, and then we turned it over quite a few times, which allowed them to get out on the break and get some easy baskets.”
Toronto outscored Orlando by 12 points in the third quarter before Orlando managed to snap out of it and begin to right the ship.
In the fourth quarter, the Magic managed to whittle a 19-point deficit down to a single possession.
There was finally life in the Orlando Magic as Paolo Banchero cut the deficit to four with an and-1 layup with 40 seconds to play.
When the Magic forced a 24-second shot clock violation on the next possession, there was even more life inside the Kia Center. When they got an open three for Wendell Carter Jr. out of the timeout and secured the rebound for another Paolo Banchero score to go down two, there was plenty of hope.
Franz Wagner led all scorers with 25 points. Paolo Banchero scored 23 for Orlando, with Wendell Carter Jr. (14) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scoring 12.
Immanuel Quickley scored 24 points for Toronto, with RJ Barrett scoring 22, and Jakob Poeltl putting in 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Orlando ended the game with 14 turnovers that led to 16 Toronto points, and the Raptors dominated in the paint, scoring 20 more points in the paint and out-rebounding the Magic 40-35.
The Orlando Magic were the more aggressive team in parts of the game, which helps explain why they took a season-high 42 free throws.
They will have another shot at the Raptors on Tuesday, May 4th, at the Kia Center.
