Raptors use strong defense in 4th to beat Magic 93-86
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Kyle Lowry scored 25 points and Toronto used a strong fourth-quarter defensive effort to beat the Orlando Magic 93-86 on Tuesday night.
Toronto limited Orlando to 3-of-19 shooting (15.8 percent) in the fourth quarter, helping the Raptors overcome an eight-point deficit and win for the 12th time in their last 13 games. Serge Ibaka had 14 points and Deion Wright and Norman Powell had 10 apiece for Toronto.
Shelvin Mack led Orlando with 17 points. Aaron Gordon, returning after missing five games with a concussion, added 16 points. Nikola Vucevic had 15 points and nine rebounds for Orlando, which has lost seven of its last eight.
The Raptors bench did most of the work in the final period. The reserves pressured Orlando all over the floor, forcing the Magic to miss their first 11 shots and commit four turnovers, opening the door for a Raptors comeback.
Toronto had its own problems offensively, making just one field goal in the first five minutes of the period. The Raptors finally got it going when Lorenzo Brown's off-balance jumper in the lane started a 12-0 run that ended with Pascal Siakam draining a corner 3-pointer for an 84-78 lead with 4:52 to play.
The Magic finally got a field goal when Vucevic hit a turnaround jumper in the lane to make it 84-80 with 4:34 left in the game.
The Magic went scoreless over the next three minutes, allowing Toronto to stretch the lead to 91-80 on Lowry's 3-pointer with 1:39 to play.
The Magic guards consistently beat Toronto off the dribble in the first half, leading to a nearly non-stop parade of layups and dunks and a 34-20 advantage on points in the paint.
Toronto's guards countered from the perimeter, led by Lowry, who scored 16 points in the half. Four of the Raptors' last five field goals were 3-pointers, including one from Lowry that gave Toronto a 52-51 halftime advantage.
TIP-INS
Raptors: G DeMar DeRozan sat out the game with a thigh contusion. . Toronto's franchise-record streak of 23 straight games scoring over 100 points ended. . The Raptors have won a franchise-record nine straight road games. ... Lowry had seven 3-pointers, giving his 204 for the season. He's the only player in franchise history to hit more than 200 3-pointers in a season.
Magic: Tracy McGrady, who played four seasons in Orlando, was inducted into the Magic Hall of Fame before the game. . G Evan Fournier missed his sixth straight game with a sprained knee. . The Magic had five dunks in the first quarter, including on four straight possessions.
UP NEXT
Raptors: Finish a road back-to-back at Cleveland tonight.
Magic: Host Philadelphia Thursday.