The Raptors already showed Orlando what a one-sided night can look like, and they get the Magic again with a chance to do it all over. Toronto is 3-1 to start the 2026-27 season, while Orlando has dropped three of its first four and is trying to put last week’s 129-99 loss behind it as both teams meet for their first NBA Cup game of the season.
What stood out most in that blowout was how thoroughly Toronto controlled the game with Kawhi Leonard out. With Leonard expected to miss about a month, the Raptors are again leaning on Scottie Barnes to carry the offense, and he answered in the first meeting with Orlando.
Barnes matched his season high with 28 points and added six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. After going 0-for-12 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, he looked much more like the engine Toronto needs him to be against the Magic.
The frontcourt remains another piece worth watching in this rematch. Jakob Poeltl and Trayce Jackson-Davis have been sharing the center spot early in the season, but the split has not been clean.
Poeltl has struggled badly on offense, averaging just 2.8 points per game while shooting 57.1 per cent through four games, though his work on the defensive end has kept him in the starting role. Jackson-Davis, meanwhile, gave Toronto a lift off the bench in the win over Orlando, finishing with six points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks after Poeltl ran into foul trouble.
The way those minutes are divided on Friday will be worth tracking.
Toronto’s biggest issue through four games has been the 3-point line. The Raptors are shooting just 30.4 per cent from deep, which ranks 27th in the NBA.
Immanuel Quickley and Ja’Kobe Walter have at least been steady enough at 35.0 per cent or better, but Barnes, RJ Barrett and Jamal Shead have all been stuck in rough territory from outside. Barnes is at 12.2 per cent, Barrett at 22.2 per cent and Shead at 16.7 per cent.
For now, Toronto’s defense has done enough to cover for the cold shooting. But if the Raptors want that balance to hold, the open looks have to start going down.
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Raptors Have A Chance To Keep Rolling In A Familiar Matchup
A familiar matchup has lined up well for Toronto early this season, and the latest meeting with Orlando only reinforced it. The Raptors cruised past the Magic 129-99 in their most recent game, a result that continued a trend of success in the series and came with RJ Barrett leading the way with 25 points.
Toronto has opened 3-1 and remains undefeated at home, with four players averaging at least 16.5 points to give the offense a balanced look. Orlando, meanwhile, sits at 1-3 and will have to find a better answer if these teams cross paths again, especially with the Raptors showing they can score and defend at a level that makes this matchup look comfortable. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Defense Looks Legit But A Bigger Test Is Coming
Four games into the season, the Raptors have done more than just look competent on defense. Theyve sat atop the NBA in defensive rating at 97.9, edging out Minnesota and giving early proof that the group can make life miserable for opponents even while the offense is still finding its footing. It is an encouraging start for a team trying to establish an identity, especially with Kawhi Leonard working his way through limited minutes because of conditioning and a knee injury.
The real examination comes next, when Torontos schedule turns into a much tougher run against several strong teams. Those matchups will say a lot about whether the Raptors defensive numbers are a sign of something sustainable or simply a hot opening stretch, and theyll also force the offense to hold up under more pressure without much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Face Real Pressure After That Raptors Blowout
The Orlando Magic come back around to the Raptors in NBA Cup play carrying the memory of a 30-point loss the last time the teams met, and the circumstances look even trickier this time. Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs are out with injuries, leaving Orlando to keep reshuffling around Desmond Bane as it searches for more reliable shooting and a steadier offensive rhythm.
Sean Sweeney has already used three different starting lineups lately because of the injury churn, and another tweak could be coming. Tristan da Silva may get the nod alongside Franz Wagner, a move that would say plenty about how much the Magic are still trying to piece together a group that can handle Toronto better than it did the first time around. [Read more 🡒]