The Toronto Raptors (5-1) suffered their first defeat of the season on Friday, falling 92-87 to the Orlando Magic (2-4) in the game's final minute.
The Magic, playing without star center Nikola Vucevic (knee), were bolstered by the play of emerging leader Victor Oladipo. The third-year guard posted totals of 18 points, seven rebounds, and six assists while turning the ball over just once against the stingy Raptors defense. Orlando also saw forward Tobias Harris post a team-high 20 points on an efficient 80 percent shooting from the field. The team was able to walk away with the win due largely to strong defensive play, as the Raptors were held to shooting just 34.9 percent from the field and 21.7 percent from behind the arc.
Meanwhile, the Raptors saw disappointing performances from their perimeter player in the team's first loss of the season. All-star point guard Kyle Lowry shot just 6-16 from the field, while offseason addition Demarre Carrol notched ten misses himself, shooting just 3-13. Though the team only totaled nine turnovers on the night, mistakes down the stretch, particularly in the final minute, ended up being the deciding factor in what was a close game.
Despite falling to Orlando, the Raptors still sit at the top of the Eastern Conference. The team will prepare for a visit to Miami on Sunday as they seek to bounce back from tonight's loss. The Magic, meanwhile, will look to carry momentum from the win into Saturday, as they travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers.
