The Orlando Magic keep running into the same wall against the Toronto Raptors, and the latest meeting was just as lopsided as the last one.
Toronto buried Orlando 129-99 on Wednesday in Toronto, seven months after the Raptors handed the Magic their worst loss in franchise history, a 139-87 beating on March 29. The result dropped Orlando to 1-3 in the 2026-27 season and made it clear that, even with a new NBA season and a new head coach in place, Toronto still has the upper hand in this matchup.
That reality gets tested again fast. Wednesday’s game was the first of two in Toronto this week, and the teams will meet again Friday to open Emirates NBA Cup play.
For Orlando, the numbers from Wednesday told the story. The Magic shot 28.6% from 3-point range and turned the ball over 20 times, leading to 20 Toronto points.
Even with injuries working against them, the performance did not leave much room for excuses. Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs were out, but the Raptors were missing Kawhi Leonard too, and Toronto still controlled the night.
Afterward, Magic coach Sean Sweeney pointed to the turnover issue first. He also talked about the offensive slump that has followed Orlando around, especially from deep.
That has been a familiar problem in the losses. The Magic’s top shooters have not been delivering, and that showed up again Wednesday. Desmond Bane had a rough night, finishing 3-for-14 from the floor and 2-for-8 from 3-point range.
Anthony Black, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. also came up empty from long distance, combining to go 0-for-8 from beyond the arc. With Banchero and Suggs unavailable, those kinds of misses carry even more weight.
There was at least one bright spot in the loss: Tristan da Silva continued his strong start. Coming off the bench, he led Orlando with 20 points and shot 80% from the field and from 3-point range.
Through four games, da Silva is averaging 14.5 points while shooting 51.2% from the field and 45.2% from the perimeter. If the Magic are going to pull themselves out of this stretch, they will need more of that - and a lot more from the rest of the rotation.
In Other News...
Magic Sent Fans A Needed Message Before This Tough Stretch
The Magic had plenty of reasons to feel better about themselves after a hard-fought win over Toronto in the Emirates NBA Cup, especially with Desmond Bane carrying the offense with 28 points. Orlando was playing without Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, yet still found enough resilience and steady effort to get through a game that carried a different feel from the last meeting with the Raptors, and coach Sean Sweeney made sure to point to that response afterward.
Now comes the part that will tell the real story of this stretch. Orlando is heading back home for games against the Celtics and Wizards, and the challenge will be whether this win over Toronto was just a needed reset or the start of something more durable for a team trying to hold together through absences and a demanding schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Magic's Early Returns Expose A Bigger Concern Than Orlando's 2-3 Start
The early record is only part of the picture for Orlando, which has opened the 2026-27 season at 2-3 while showing enough on a recent three-game road trip to suggest the group is still settling in. The ball is moving well, and the offense has looked connected in stretches as the Magic continue adjusting to coach Sweeneys system.
The bigger concern is what happens when possessions break down. Orlando has had trouble finishing defensive stands with rebounds and has not been nearly as sharp in transition, two areas that can quickly undo the benefits of good movement and spacing. Those issues are still early-season problems rather than permanent flaws, but they are the kind of details that can define whether this start becomes a short-term hiccup or something more stubborn. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Rotation Already Has A Few Early Surprises Fans Can't Ignore
The first week of the season has already given the Magic a clearer look at who is settling in and who still has work to do, and the early grades are starting to reflect that. Orlando came home from its road trip at 2-3, which is hardly enough of a sample to lock in any big conclusions, but it has been enough to spotlight a few rotation players whose starts have been better or shakier than expected.
Among the more intriguing developments is how much the backcourt mix has already shifted in these opening games, with one young guard in particular making a strong case for a bigger role. The sample is still tiny, and the staff is only beginning to sort out what this group really looks like, but the early performances have already made the rotation conversation harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]