The Toronto Raptors are out to win consecutive games for just the third time this season when they host the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
With Immanuel Quickley (elbow) back after missing 22 games, Toronto ended an 11-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 130-113 home victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Quickley had 21 points and 15 assists while Scottie Barnes had 33 points and 13 rebounds.
Orlando has dropped three of four after a 105-96 road loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
The Raptors won consecutive games Nov. 18 and 21 to end a seven-game losing streak. They also won back-to-back games Dec. 1 and 3 before going into their 11-game slide. All four of the victories have come at home.
In ending their most recent losing streak, the Raptors shot season bests of 59.1 percent (52-for-88) from the field and 50 percent (16-for-32) from 3-point range. The Raptors also scored a season-best 33 fastbreak points against 21 by Brooklyn.
Quickley’s presence was felt in rapid fashion.
“He’s got a lot of skills but he’s a point guard,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “When he’s bringing the ball up the floor, he is calling plays on the run, recognizing situations. … He’s doing a really good job and he’s my extension on the floor when he plays out there.”
Said Barnes: “The intensity that he brought to the floor on both ends of the floor, it was great. Something that we really missed, and we needed. His playmaking ability, his ability just to get to the paint, his shooting, all that we needed it, his leadership. He was unbelievable, talking throughout the entire game. So, you know, we really missed it.”
The Raptors will play the middle game of a three-game homestand. They are 7-11 at home and just 1-15 on the road.
The Magic are at the end of a two-game trip. They are 7-11 on the road.
Orlando trailed Detroit by 18 points on Wednesday and rallied with a 26-19 advantage in the third quarter. Orlando pulled to within 93-90 with 6:26 remaining before running out of gas down the stretch.
“They picked their pace back up,” said the Magic’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who scored 21 points. “They were aggressive the whole game.”
Caldwell-Pope, who scored 9.1 points per game, had five against Brooklyn on Sunday on 2-for-10 shooting from the field. He was 8 of 11 against the Pistons on Wednesday, including 4 of 6 on 3-point attempts.
“Just being aggressive,” Caldwell-Pope said. “It’s 2025. I told myself just be a little bit more aggressive on the court, shoot the ball when I’m open, try not to pass up as many shots as I have been doing and just continue to be me and get better.”
Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 24 points at Detroit and Wendell Carter Jr. added 15 points. Suggs missed the second half of the 102-101 win over the Nets with a sprained right wrist.
“At this point, everything hurts,” Suggs said. “But it’s part of the journey of an NBA season. So, I’ll get some work done, take care of it with the medical staff, get ready to play in Toronto. It’s all you can do, really.”
Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, who has played just five games because of an abdominal injury, has gone through some light contact work at practice but remains out, as does Franz Wagner (oblique).
The teams will be meeting for the first time this season. Orlando was 3-0 against Toronto last season.
–Field Level Media
