In a high-stakes match that could decide playoff positioning for both squads, the Toronto Raptors already saw the finish line miles away after dismantling the Orlando Magic 139-87 on Monday.
Franchise star Scottie Barnes led his team to victory with yet another double-double of 23 points, along with a career-high 15 assists, while RJ Barrett led the offense with 24 markers.
“Our guys were just super hungry today, we had some guys that were out, and we needed people to step up. I think everybody came into the game,” Barnes said postgame.
Raptors Obliterate Magic with Historic 31-0 Run
Despite finding themselves in an early seven-point deficit, the Raptors eventually turned the tide in major fashion, igniting a monstrous 31-0 run that left the Magic scoreless for nearly eight minutes. It marked the highest-scoring run in NBA history since the play-by-play era in 1998, beating the Dallas Mavericks’ 30-0 run set in 2023.
Moreover, Toronto continued its destruction up until the final buzzer, beating the Magic by a whopping 52 points, its second-largest winning margin in franchise history, coming only one point shy of the record set in 2021 against the Golden State Warriors.
With the win, the Raptors continued to solidify their ground in the East playoff race, improving to a 42-32 record, but remaining just a game above the sixth-seeded Atlanta Hawks.
Orlando Continues Late-Season Struggles
With the loss, the Magic continue their late-season losing stretch toward the end of the season, losing 7 out of their last 8 games and falling to a 39-35 record while being only half a game behind the 10th-seeded Charlotte Hornets.
Desmond Bane paced Orlando’s loss with 17 points, while Jalen Suggs added 13. Meanwhile, Paolo Banchero ended his streak of three straight 30-point outings, scoring just 9 points while shooting a horrendous 3-14 from the field.
The Raptors will look to continue their winning ways against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, while the Magic will look to return to the win column on the same day against the Phoenix Suns.
