Magic fall to Raptors for 8th straight time

Magic fall to Raptors for 8th straight time

Published Nov. 1, 2014 9:45 p.m. ET

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Two games into their season, the Toronto Raptors like what they see.

The Raptors put all five starters in double figures for the second straight game and overcame a shaky start to the fourth quarter to run away from the Orlando Magic 108-95 on Saturday night.

DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors to their eighth straight win over Orlando with 26 points and eight rebounds. Kyle Lowry had 21 points, Amir Johnson scored 14 and Jonas Valanciunas became the fourth Raptor with a double-double this season, getting 10 points and 11 rebounds.

"It's not easy trying to get everyone involved, but we've got a good group of guys and no one is being selfish so far," Lowry said.

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The Raptors shot only 39.8 percent for the game, but outscored Orlando 38-12 at the free throw line.

"It's not just me being aggressive at getting to the free throw line, it's all of us," said DeRozan, who was 8 of 10 from the line. "If we get teams in the penalty situation early and take advantage of it, that plays a big part of us being successful."

Evan Fournier scored 18 points for the Magic, who have lost three straight. Rookie point guard had Elfrid Payton had 16 points and nine assists.

The Magic wasted an opportunity to make it a game in the fourth quarter. Orlando held Toronto to just 2-of-14 shooting in the first seven minutes of the final period, but couldn't gain much ground.

Orlando cut it to 93-89 with 5:03 left before Toronto responded with seven straight points and a 13-2 run that settled the issue.

"I think we're going to continue to build on the good things and reinforce that guys have been focused at the defensive end and that will give you a chance to win games," Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said.

Fournier had 11 points and Payton added 10 points and five assists as the Magic took a 52-49 halftime lead. It was the first time in three games this season that Orlando has led at the half and much of that was attributed to 52.4 percent shooting.

Lowry kept his team close, scoring 12 points in a matchup against Payton, but the Raptors were only 1 for 8 from behind the 3-point line and 4 of 21 for the game.

Orlando stretched the lead to 64-57 before DeRozan heated up, scoring eight straight during a 12-2 Raptors run that put Toronto in front 69-66. He and Lowry combined for 22 points in the quarter as Toronto stretched the lead to 87-78.

TIP-INS

Raptors: Toronto has no injuries yet this season. . Lowry had the Raptors' first four-point play of the season.

Magic: PF Kyle O'Quinn missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. . Orlando is 34-34 all-time against Toronto. . SF Maurice Harkless, who started 41 games last season but didn't play in the first two, saw his first action this season. He had seven points and five rebounds in 22 minutes.

THIRD-QUARTER BLUES

The Magic have been outscored 96-64 in the third quarter of their first three games. Toronto outscored them 38-26. "I really give the other teams credit for coming out aggressive," Vaughn said.

BIG O VISITS ORLANDO

Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, who was treated successfully for prostate cancer at an Orlando hospital, was part of an in-game presentation to bring awareness to prostate cancer. Robertson, who averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists during the 1961-62 season, spoke to the Raptors at the team hotel on Friday night. "I was nervous introducing (Oscar) just giving him props for what he accomplished," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "It was great for our players, an education for them. He's the reason, like it or not, that some of them are in the position they are today."

THEY'RE FOR FREE

The Raptors shot 48 free throws in the game, twice as many as Orlando and outscored the Magic 38-12 from the line. Toronto was 38 of 48 (79.2 percent) while the Magic were just 12 of 24 (50 percent).

UP NEXT

Raptors: Visits Miami on Saturday.

Magic: Visits Chicago on Tuesday.

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