Magic notes: Fournier, teammates have no love lost for Raptors
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The last time Evan Fournier faced the Toronto Raptors, Tyler Hansbrough accidentally tried to rearrange part of his face.
The Orlando Magic have taken more than their share of lumps from a team they have not defeated since March 2012, when Stan Van Gundy was still their coach and Dwight Howard was still a dominant force for them inside. Fournier, who returned Wednesday night after a six-week absence due to a sore right hip, started in all three previous meetings this season and received a swollen upper lip which required seven stitches during the second quarter of the 95-82 loss Dec. 15 at Toronto.
While the stitches are gone and the lip has been long since back to normal, to say that Fournier has forgiven or forgotten Hansbrough for the right elbow which smashed into his face would be wrong.
"Oh, no. I know what happened," Fournier said before the Magic's Friday morning shootaround in preparation for their game against the Raptors. "He's been on my mind for a long time now. So I don't forget it."
The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Hansbrough was also guilty of a flagrant foul on Magic center Nikola Vucevic back in November and has a history with reserve forward Andrew Nicholson dating back to when Hansbrough was a member of the Indiana Pacers.
"They'll know what Hansbrough has done to us in these last couple games," interim coach James Borrego said after pausing to choose his words carefully. "They'll understand that."
The Raptors hold a 10-game winning streak over the Magic, tying them with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the long current dominance. When they came to Orlando three games into the regular season, the Raptors set a single-game season high which still stands for the most free throws made (38) and attempted (48) by a Magic opponent. In their two victories at Toronto, the Raptors were a combined 20 of 51 from 3-point range.
"In the past three years, we haven't beaten them," Magic forward Tobias Harris said. "That should fire us up enough right there. But with that being said, we've lost the battle to them physicality-wise in all those games. So that's going to be our focus."
"0 and 10 is a pretty serious streak," guard Victor Oladipo added. "But that doesn't mean they're going to take anything lightly."
Fournier had 11 points in 21 minutes off the bench as the Magic edged the Chicago Bulls 105-103 for their third win in a row and second over a team looking to improve its Eastern Conference playoff position. He said he had "a little muscle soreness, but nothing too bad" the day after, which Fournier attempted to treat by relaxing in an extremely cold chamber.
HOME AND HOME, THEN GONE
For the second time this season, the Magic will play home games on consecutive nights, with the New York Knicks coming to town Saturday night. The Magic did not have a similar back-to-back since January 2012 before they lost to the Brooklyn Nets and the Charlotte Hornets to begin the new year.
Until they defeated the Bulls, the Magic were one of only two NBA teams -- with the Nets being the other -- to not have more victories at home than on the road this season. Even if they were to knock off both the Raptors and the Knicks, their final record of 15-26 at home would represent a decrease of four victories from last year's team which finished at 23-59 overall.
But they have already equaled their victory total from the past two Aprils combined in improving their record to 10-16 since Borrego was promoted Feb. 5 from an assistant coach under Jacque Vaughn. Borrego pointed out that more than a few fans cheered the players and coaches Wednesday night long after the final horn.
"It was just amazing to watch their response, watching them after, staying here at the Amway Center as we pulled out," he said. "They're a big part of what we're trying to do here. And we appreciate them like no other team."
RIDNOUR RETURNS
Backup point guard Luke Ridnour was back with the team after his wife, Katie, gave birth Wednesday morning to the couple's fourth son, Ryker Joshua. Ridnour had missed the past three games after he had played in 11 straight contests in relief of rookie Elfrid Payton.
Oladipo was pressed into service at point guard for a stretch against the Bulls because the Magic were without both Ridnour and Willie Green, who hyperextended his right knee Monday during practice. Borrego said Green did not practice Thursday, leaving the status of the 33-year-old veteran against the Raptors in doubt.
With Ridnour and Willie Green unavailable and Ben Gordon not playing for the sixth game in a row, the only points the Magic got against the Bulls from their four over-30 players were when Channing Frye came off the bench to start the fourth quarter and hit an 8-foot hook shot.
You can follow Ken Hornack on Twitter @HornackFSFla or email him at khornack32176@gmail.com.
