The Orlando Magic take their show on the road Wednesday night to face the Raptors in Toronto. The Magic will be looking for their first road win of the season as they come in 0-4 away from Orlando. Coincidentally, the Raptors are undefeated at home this season, sitting at 5-0 in Toronto.
Offensively, the Magic have been a brand new team in the last five games. They’re 4-1 in their last five, averaging over 113 points per game, while only giving up 104.4. They’re also averaging 10.6 offensive rebounds per game while only giving up around seven.
The Raptors are doing the same thing over their last seven. Their record is 5-2, and they average over 113 per game and only give up 105. They’re also shooting a fantastic 42 percent from three-point range over the last seven. The Raptors are favored by 4.5 points, with the over/under set at 208.
Uh-Oh, It’s Magic
Magic center Nikola Vucevic has been a walking double-double his entire eight years in Orlando, and 2019-20 has been no different. Coming off his first All-Star appearance, Nikola is averaging 18.2 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. He also provides just over three assists per game. His field-goal percentage has dropped slightly this season, but it’s still fairly early, as he looks to make up the 5 percent difference.
Veteran shooting guard Evan Fournier has lit it up for the Magic early in the season as well, as he’s shooting over 50 percent from the field while averaging 16.8 points per game. It’s been Orlando’s defensive effort that had surprised many this season, while their record doesn’t quite reflect that. The Magic only allow 101.5 points per game on the season. Unfortunately, they allow 104 per game on the road, while only averaging just over 100.
In Defense of the Crown
The Raptors’ defense of their 2018-19 title has had its ups and downs so far. They have been without starting guard Kyle Lowry as well as Serge Ibaka, Patrick McCaw, and Stanley Johnson Jr. It’s been quite a couple of weeks injury-wise for them, but they remain afloat. Going 5-2 over their last seven, the Raptors are averaging 113 points and shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc.
With Lowry remaining on the sideline, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet have had to pick up much of the slack on both ends of the floor. Siakam is putting up career highs across the board, averaging 25.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. VanVleet, in only his second year as a starter, is putting up 17.2 points and 7.6 assists per game.
On The Road Again
As the Magic take their game on the road, where they have yet to put together a win, it looks like this will be a tough matchup for them. Especially against a Raptors team that has played phenomenal and undefeated basketball at home. However, Orlando’s improved play over the last five games and the fact that it is facing a team missing multiple players of importance may help it go and pick up its first road win of the season. The Magic should be able to keep it close, and they are the pick to stay within 4.5, in a game that will likely make the over in total points as well.
