TORONTO - Not many teams, if any, have more collective size and strength than the Orlando Magic. It’s why they score so much in the paint, draw so many fouls, rebound so well, and defend with the best of them.
Against a team like the Toronto Raptors, who are playing much smaller these days than they have in recent years following all their transactions from earlier this season, that’s all very glaring.
In the first of two straight meetings between the two, the Magic’s size and strength overwhelmed the Raptors in a 113-103 victory at Scotiabank Arena on Friday night.
Orlando outscored Toronto by 10 in the paint, and by getting in the paint so much, it was able to create many open looks from 3-point distance off kickouts. In all, Orlando knocked down 45.2 percent of its attempts from beyond the arc.
After the Raptors took a two-point lead with 4 ½ minutes left in the third quarter, the Magic reclaimed momentum behind a 17-2 run. Paolo Banchero scored seven of his 17 points during that stretch.
The 6-foot-10, 250-pounder also had nine rebounds and eight assists.
Franz Wagner finished with a team-high 19 points, while Jalen Suggs scored 16 and Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and eight rebounds.
“You want to make your presence felt every time you step on the court – personally and as a team,” Suggs said. “Embracing the physicality. They said they are going to let the game be more physical. We are trying to get to that…From watching it and hearing it, that’s how it gets (in the playoffs). One, getting used to doing it and two, getting used to playing against it.”
What helped Toronto hang around much of the night was their fast pace and scorching hot 3-point shooting. They are a team that loves to get out and run, and they were able to do that quite a bit in the first 2 ½ periods. They finished with 37 fast break points and hit 41.2 percent of their 3-point tries.
Still, their inability to keep the Magic out of the paint denied them from keeping the game close by the time the fourth quarter rolled around. Gary Trent Jr. led the shorthanded Raptors with 31 points.
Scottie Barnes missed his seventh straight contest with a hand injury and RJ Barrett was away from the team as he continues to mourn the passing of his younger brother Nathan. Jakob Poeltl (hand) and Chris Boucher (knee) were also out.
The Magic are now 24-6 against teams with current sub-.500 records. They are 13-0 at Kia Center against that level of competition and 11-6 at other venues.
Orlando and Toronto will go head-to-head again on Sunday at Kia Center in their last meeting of the season.