National Basketball Association

Magic (18-30) at Raptors (29-18): Preview

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:38 p.m. ET

Fansided, Brian Boake/FanSided via Raptors Rapture

The Raptors continue their home stand against a dysfunctional Magic team. While DeMar DeRozan is questionable, Toronto still should have enough firepower to hold off Orlando.

The Toronto Raptors didn’t play particularly well against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night, but managed a victory anyway, thus snapping a 5-game losing streak. They have an opportunity to continue their turnaround against a Magic squad which must be ranked, along with the Pistons, Blazers, and Bulls, as one of the NBA’s most disappointing teams.

Orlando GM Rob Hennigan must have thought he was being oh-so-clever in luring Bismack Biyombo to his city via free agency, and trading for Serge Ibaka. Most analysts thought he had taken leave of his senses, and they were right. By going big at exactly the wrong time, he has locked the Magic into some expensive contracts with little hope of actually improving the team.

Hennigan has suffered some bad luck as well. One of their few quality shooters, Frenchman Evan Fournier, he of the league’s worst man-bun, has been hurt and may not play tonight. Another outside bomber, Jodie Meeks, is gone until next season after mashing his thumb.

Coach Frank Vogel enjoyed a promising start to the season, but his team has dropped 12 of their last 15 starts. The playoffs, which they have missed 4 straight times, look like an impossible dream once again.

The Magic are minus_5.7 so far in plus/minus per game, a mark only the Nets and Lakers are worse than. To me, this stat is an excellent proxy for league standings.

3 keys to Raptors victory

Conclusion & Final Score

I choose to believe that the defense we enjoyed watching against Milwaukee will show up again. If Evan Fournier is held out due to his heel injury, as seems likely, the Raps can shut these people down.

Toronto 105 – Orlando 89