Raptors' New Year's Day magic disappears in troubling loss to visiting Magic

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The Raptors’ toughness, both physical and mental, was put under the microscope by a depleted Orlando Magic team whose identity is defensive toughness.

When Jalen Suggs joined the list of injured Magic players late in the second quarter, an opening was potentially created for a Raptors team hoping to build momentum from its New Year’s Day win over the Brooklyn Nets, a win that ended a gruesome 11-game losing streak.

But Orlando is not Brooklyn, a Magic team known for its will, even when the team’s best skill is unavailable.

Given the good vibes created when Immanuel Quickley returned from an extended injury absence and the effect it had on Scottie Barnes’ game, Friday night’s 106-97 loss to the Magic must be viewed as a step back, perhaps even two.

A poor first quarter and a sloppy start to begin the second half. It was inexplicable how Toronto would trail by as many as 22 points.

Toronto poured in 130 points against the Nets in winning by 17.

Heading into Friday’s fourth quarter, the Raptors managed just 68 points.

Not known for its three-point prowess, Orlando enjoyed a plus-33 edge in long-distance scoring through three quarters, a stretch that saw Toronto make seven shots beyond the arc, while turning it over 10 times.

Defensively, the Raptors were much better in the fourth quarter.

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Then again, they couldn’t get worse.

Halfway through the fourth and the Raptors had whittled Orlando’s advantage to single digits after rookie Ja’Kobe Walter buried an uncontested three.

About three minutes later, fans began to leave Scotiabank Arena with the visitors leading 101-87.

Even without four of its leading five scorers, Orlando persevered.

In contrast, the Raptors were perplexing.

Barnes was nowhere near as efficient offensively as he was against the Nets, while Quickley heaved too many threes and made so few.

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WAITING ON BARRETT

The much-anticipated launch of Toronto’s projected starting group has been put on hold.

No tip this season has featured Toronto’s preferred five, a series of misfortune that began on opening night when RJ Barrett was unavailable following a shoulder setback he suffered in the team’s pre-season opener.

Quickley would miss games, plenty in fact, followed by Barnes, Jakob Poeltl and Gradey Dick.

Barrett has played well, but he has been ill of late, forcing him to miss Friday’s meeting with the Magic, the third game in a row he was unavailable and fifth in the past eight.

At least Quickley, Barnes, Poeltl and Dick were available, joined by Ochai Agbaji in Toronto’s starting unit.

It marked the second time in as many games the same five-man group started, a far cry from the countless starting units the Raptors have been forced to field.

SUGGS IS NO SLUG

First meeting of the season featuring Barnes and Suggs, who will be forever linked to the 2021 draft when the Raptors used the fourth overall to pick Barnes, while Orlando used the fifth overall pick to select Suggs.

Suggs was the fan favourite having nailed an epic buzzer beater that sent Gonzaga to the NCAA championship game.

In the intervening years, Barnes has become the face of the Raptors franchise, while Suggs has turned into a very good two-way player on an ascending Magic team.

In terms of franchise trajectory, Orlando is way ahead of the curve when compared to Toronto.

Barnes is more skilled than Suggs, but Suggs plays with greater toughness and fits perfectly for the defensive-minded Magic that was missing several key pieces Friday, including its two stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

A third star-in-waiting was lost with 3:06 remaining in the opening half when Suggs injured his lower back on a non-contact sequence while attempting to make a play in the passing lane.

Players from both teams gathered around the fallen Suggs, who would be placed in a wheelchair.

It was later announced Suggs had suffered back spasms and would not return.

At the time of his injury, Orlando was leading by 15 points.

Toronto was limited to 24 first-quarter points as Orlando forced five turnovers leading to eight points.

Orlando scored 27 of its 37 points in the opening 12 minutes from beyond the three-point arc in shooting 9-for-14.

And to think the Magic entered the night dead last in the NBA by averaging 11.2 makes.

Orlando eclipsed its season average in the first half alone by draining 13 threes.

CANADIAN CONTENT

When he entered the game with about five minutes remaining in the opening quarter, Cory Joseph was greeted with warm applause.

A stalwart on the Canadian national team who was snubbed from competing for a spot on the FIBA World Cup roster, the veteran point guard played his high-school hoops in Pickering with his older brother Devoe.

One of Joseph’s NBA stops included Toronto.

With Orlando, Joseph comes off the bench.

He drained his first attempt against the Raptors, a three-pointer, setting the tone as the visitors used their three-point shooting to jump out to a double-digit lead.

Orlando started Mississauga’s Caleb Houstan at small forward.

It’s been common this season for Canadian-born players from the visiting team to be acknowledged prior to opening tap.

Houstan became the latest, but no one in attendance, save for a very few, even knew of the kid’s Canadian roots.

Houstan attended St. Marcellinus before heading down south.

At Florida’s Montverde Academy, a program that produced Barrett, Houstan was the lone non-senior starter on a team featuring Barnes and Cade Cunningham, whom Detroit would take with the first overall pick in 2021.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com