The Orlando Magic get another crack at the Toronto Raptors on Friday night, and this one comes with a little extra weight. The same two teams are meeting again at Scotiabank Arena, but this time it’s the first NBA Cup game of the season, which gives Orlando a fresh chance to answer for a 30-point loss in their last matchup.
That blowout was the Magic’s worst defeat of the season so far, and now they have to show they can respond against the same opponent that flattened them. Orlando doesn’t have much time to dwell on what went wrong.
If the adjustments aren’t there, the loss could snowball into a longer skid. If they clean it up, they can leave with a win and put the last game behind them.
A big part of that response has to come from Desmond Bane. With Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs out because of injury, Orlando needs offense wherever it can find it, and Bane is right at the center of that pressure. Through this stretch, he’s shooting just over 30% from the field and just under 28 percent from three, numbers that won’t hold up if the Magic want to stay afloat.
His last game was especially rough. Bane finished 3 of 14 from the floor, one of the toughest shooting nights of his Orlando run.
Right now, he seems to be trying to shoot his way through the slump, and that approach can work in theory. But for the Magic, better shot-making from him isn’t just a nice-to-have.
It’s part of the formula for staying competitive.
Orlando is also dealing with constant lineup shuffling. The team has used three different starting groups over the last three games because the injuries keep piling up, and head coach Sean Sweeney may need to adjust again.
One possible move is Tristan da Silva, who has been one of the bright spots early in the season. He’s averaging 14.5 points per game off the bench, and sliding him into the starting five next to Franz Wagner could make sense. The third-year forward has been one of Orlando’s better players, and that kind of move would give the Magic another look as they try to turn this rematch into a much-needed win.
In Other News...
Celtics Already Look Tougher To Defend Than Last Season
Anthony Black gave Orlando a steady lift in its win over Toronto, pairing playmaking with efficient decision-making as the Magic kept finding enough offense to get over the line. Franz Wagner was just as important, carrying a heavy scoring load in a game where Orlandos balance stood out, and the result offered another reminder that the Magic have more ways to win when their young core is clicking.
The bigger test, though, is what comes next against a Celtics team that already looks like a tougher defensive problem than it was a year ago. Jayson Tatums 26-point night in Chicago came with the kind of two-way support Boston has been leaning on, from Payton Pritchards energy to Paul Georges contributions, and that depth gives Orlando a very different scouting report to work from when the matchup arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Face A Brutal Test In NBA Cup Opener Against Toronto
The NBA Cup opener gives Orlando an early measuring stick, and Toronto is a tough place to find one. The Raptors have leaned into defense and transition offense, and that style has already given the Magic trouble, especially when turnovers start piling up and the pressure ramps up on the perimeter. RJ Barretts strong first-half play in the previous meeting was part of what tilted the game, and it underscored how quickly Toronto can seize control when Orlando gets loose with the ball.
For the Magic, the bigger concern is whether the offense can generate clean looks against a team that has been sharp from deep in recent form. Orlandos shooting efficiency has been a lingering issue, and the injury situation only makes the margin for error thinner as the Cup schedule begins. The matchup sets up as a difficult one for the Magic, with Toronto carrying the edge on paper and a chance to make another early statement if Orlando cannot tighten up its execution. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Frontcourt Just Exposed A Problem Toronto Has To Solve
Toronto still found a way to beat Orlando while controlling most of the game statistically, but the box score also pointed to one area the Raptors could not fully solve. The Magic won the battle on the glass in the spots that tend to swing close games, with a clear edge in offensive rebounds, second chance points and points off turnovers, and Trayce Jackson-Davis was active enough to matter with 6 points and 11 rebounds.
Jakob Poeltls night was a quiet one, as he managed just two points and two rebounds in 10 minutes before foul trouble cut his role short. The bigger issue for Toronto was how quickly the frontcourt rotation got stretched once both Poeltl and Collin Murray-Boyles fouled out, leaving the Raptors to reshuffle their interior group in a game that exposed how thin that margin can be. [Read more 🡒]