Fan Duel Toronto Raptors

Morning Coffee – Sat, Dec 29

Raptors shoot like shit. Get crushed in Orlando.

Raptors can’t find any Magic in huge loss to Orlando | Toronto Sun

“It’s a strange one. I think if it started that way you would think ‘oh, you didn’t come ready to play,’ but we were really sharp and moving the ball and popping it around and had a nice lead and probably should have had a bigger lead if we would have made more of our opportunities,” Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said.

“And then the thing just turned and we never really could get stops and we couldn’t finish at the rim very well. Just was a really poor night for all of us.”

Boy did it ever turn. The second quarter might have been the worst 12 minutes we’ve seen from the Raptors all season.

Toronto shot 23% (5-for-27), including 1-for-6 from beyond the arc and allowed open for foray after open foray to the hoop at the other end. Overall Toronto’s 26.2% two-point shooting was the worst in franchise history.

Nikola Vucevic paves way as Orlando Magic overpower Toronto Raptors 116-87 – Orlando Sentinel

“It [performance] definitely tells you that we don’t like to lose,” said Magic forward Aaron Gordon, who delivered nine points and nine rebounds. “We definitely had a bad taste in our mouths after that last loss [to Phoenix] and showed up tonight. Can’t get too high, can’t get too low, and we’ve got to bring it again.”

The Magic certainly did that against the Raptors (26-11), who entered the night with the best record in the NBA but left with their second 20-point loss in their past three games. The 29-point defeat was their biggest of the season, surpassing a 25-point setback to the 76ers.

Magic coach Steve Clifford lauded his team’s effort but offered a little perspective following one of its most impressive wins of the season.

Orlando Magic's lineup change mixes things up, provides spark

“What I did tonight was nothing new that I bring to the table,” Iwundu said. “I knew what was needed of me. I just went out there and executed and we got the win.”

Iwundu has always stayed ready. Clifford said he wanted to get Iwundu in the game more but that it is tough with veteran players ahead of him. At shootaround, he told the team he would experiment with a lineup change.

It certainly worked with Iwundu who scored 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting, showing the composure that has become a mainstay for him.

Clifford said Iwundu provides a ton of energy and helps the team get out in transition more with his ability to run. The team’s pace certainly picked up. And his defensive smarts were certainly on display as he switched fairly seamlessly when he played alongside Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac. His defensive versatility provides a ton of benefit to the team.

A change in the rotation provided a spark Orlando desperately needed – Orlando Pinstriped Post

In a surprising move, Coach Clifford called on Wes Iwundu as his first man off the bench, and it worked out in a big way. Iwundu scored six points (+4 in the first half) for the Magic in 10 minutes of play in the first half. The Kansas State product provided a spark for the Magic instantly; he helped the Magic push the pace, he slashed through the lane as an available cutter, and he provided his team with deflections and defensive resistance. He finished the game with 10 points (4-7), 3 rebounds, and a blocked shot in 18 minutes off the bench.

Iwundu, in his second year in the NBA with the Magic, had logged 18 minutes or more in a game only two other times in the month of December.

“I thought he had good energy, he helps us get out and run – which we need to do more (of),” Coach Clifford said of Iwundu after the game during his post-game conference. “He is a good versatile defender and he is very smart. Whether he plays or not, he’s in here everyday doing extra. He is very good with team things.”

“Wes came in and had a great drive,” Nikola Vucevic said of Iwundu in the locker room after the game. “He came in, had a quick cut – something we don’t do enough of. It was great to see a guy who hadn’t played in so long come in ready to play – on both ends of the floor.”

Five thoughts recap: Orlando Magic 116, Toronto Raptors 87 – Raptors HQ

Is the VanVleet/Ibaka Chemistry Improving?
We’ve all had a lot of complaints this season about Fred VanVleet as the primary ball handler, particularly in pick-and-roll situations; he hasn’t seemed able to find the roll man effectively, either ignoring him or passing too late. So it was heartening to see him and Ibaka generate two great looks early last night.

The first was on the Raptors’ second possession of the game; Ibaka dropped a handoff to VanVleet, who turned to the hoop to put pressure on the D; both defenders followed and VanVleet slipped it to Ibaka for a layup. Two plays later Ibaka screened for VanVleet at the top of the key, and when the defense momentarily froze VanVleet hit Ibaka with a perfect pass for Serge’s patented 15-foot elbow J.

There wasn’t a lot to like in this one, but I definitely liked seeing those two plays come together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvXfRWFB_rQ

History-making night — bad history — in Raptors loss | The Star

They’re going to happen over the course of 82 games although I do think it’s troubling that two of their worst losses have come in the last three games and the only win was made possible by a miracle late-game comeback.

I’m sure it’s just a factor of a roster being kept together by duct tape and binder twine finally coming a bit unglued and regressing to the mean.

I don’t think these guys were as a good as 20-4, I don’t think they’re as average as 6-7. But until they get some guys back and develop a much more consistent rotation, it’s going to continue to be ups and downs and peaks and valleys and all the emotional baggage those bring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk9D8tXN2JI

Five takeaways from the Orlando Magic blowout victory over the Toronto Raptors | Sporting News

Rebounding
When you miss shots it creates rebounding opportunities and with the way the Raptors shot the ball the Magic had plenty of rebounding opportunities and to their credit, they gobbled up most.

Orlando outrebounded the Raptors 60-41, and even though Toronto had 14 offensive rebounds it felt like there weren’t able to take advantage of them.

If there was one thing that the Magic had a clear disadvantage in coming into the game it was rebounding, but without Valanciunas and also Lowry who is a really good rebounder for a guard, the Magic pounded the Raptors on the glass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjGTRPieos0

Lakers news: LeBron James is a fan of Kawhi Leonard's quick crossover

Toronto Raptors top guy Kawhi Leonard turned heads with a quick crossover on Friday night, and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James did not hide his excitement over the highlight move.

Leonard immediately made his presence felt in the Raptors’ match against the Orlando Magic. Four minutes into the game, the All-Star forward made a quick double-crossover to evade Jonathan Isaac. To complete the highlight reel, the 27-year-old superstar knocked down the jumper, generating oohs and ahhs inside the Amway Center.

James took to Twitter to show that he was a fan of the surprising move from Leonard.