TORONTO – Tristan da Silva scored 25 points to propel the undermanned Orlando Magic past the Toronto Raptors 106-97 on Friday.
Goga Bitadze achieved a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds for Orlando (21-15). Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 15 points.
Jakob Poeltl led Toronto (8-27) with 25 points. Scottie Barnes was one rebound away from a double-double, with 20 points and nine rebounds.
Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley had a double-double in his second game back from an elbow injury, with 11 points and 11 assists.
Orlando goalie Jalen Suggs was carted off the field in a wheelchair three minutes into the first half after collapsing to the ground, clutching his back. The Magic later announced he was suffering from muscle spasms.
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Suggs joined a long inactive list for Orlando that included Paolo Banchero (oblique), Franz Wagner (oblique), Moritz Wagner (torn ACL) and Anthony Black (back).
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Swingman RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., was waived by Toronto hours before the announcement. It was the third straight game he missed due to an undisclosed illness.
The Raptors’ optimal starting lineup of Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes, Poeltl and Gradey Dick has not played together since last season.
TAKE AWAY
Orlando: Three-point shooting has been a problem for the Magic all season, with a league-worst 30.6 percent shooting rate from beyond the arc heading into the game. Friday. But they were blazing against the Raptors with nine threes in the first quarter, tying a franchise record. They made 19 of their 44 attempts (43.2%) from three-point range.
Toronto: Barnes and Quickley worked together throughout the offseason before injuries kept them apart until Wednesday’s 130-113 win over Brooklyn. Their chemistry was expected to continue to develop, but both struggled for most of the game against Orlando. Eight of Barnes’ 20 points came in the fourth quarter. Quickley was 4 of 17 on field goal attempts, including 1 of 9 from three-point range.
KEY MOMENT
A 23-6 Orlando run in the final five minutes of the first quarter broke apart what had been a close game, with the Magic never letting Toronto back into the game.
KEY STATUS
Turnovers have been the Raptors’ Achilles heel all season, but Orlando actually gave the ball away 14 times to Toronto’s 11. The Raptors’ turnovers, however, led to 20 points, compared to 17 for the Magic.
FOLLOWING
Magic: Come home to host the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
Raptors: Host the Milwaukee Bucks (17-15) on Monday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published January 3, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press