Kyle Lowry scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 93-86 win over the Magic in Orlando.
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Toronto trailed by eight entering the fourth quarter, but rallied to escape with its 52nd win of the season after holding the Magic to just 10 points in the final 12 minutes.
Without guards DeMar DeRozan (thigh) and Fred VanVleet (hand), the Raptors relied on Lowry's offense and the 31-year-old answered the call by stepping up in a big way. Lowry hit seven 3-pointers, dished out eight assists and was the only starter with a positive differential (+11).
Serge Ibaka, Norman Powell and Delon Wright scored in double-digits for Toronto, which registered less than 95 points for just the seventh time this season.
Back in the win column. #WeTheNorth@Klow7 (25p, 8a, 5r)@sergeibaka (13p, 6r, 2b)@delonwright (10p, 5r, 4a) pic.twitter.com/G2exLeOEnO
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 21, 2018
Shelvin Mack scored 17 points off the bench to lead Orlando. Aaron Gordon chipped in 16 points and reminded everyone of his Slam Dunk contest skills with an emphatic 360 jam.
Here are three takeaways from the Raptors' win over Orlando:
No DeRozan, No Problem
DeRozan missed his first game of the season because of a thigh contusion, but the other half of Toronto's All-Star backcourt picked up the slack for his missing partner.
Don't reach. pic.twitter.com/v0WX4lVhQE
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 21, 2018
That said, the Raptors' poor offensive display was barely enough to beat a lowly Magic team that currently holds the fourth-worst record (21-50) in the NBA. If DeRozan isn't back for Wednesday night's back-to-back in Cleveland, Jonas Valanciunas (nine points) and CJ Miles (three points on 1-9 shooting) will have to pick up the production.
Mr. Wright
Delon Wright did a little bit of everything Tuesday night in 28 minutes off the bench. He scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists in another strong showing. Wright has now put up double-digits for the second-unit in five of Toronto's last six games.
Not so free throws
The Raptors were uncharacteristically bad at the free-throw line Tuesday night, making nine of their 17 attempts (52.7%). That percentage is the worst that Toronto has registered in a single game this season (71 games). The Raptors entered the night shooting 80.3% for the year, second-best in the NBA behind the Warriors.