Orlando fell 129-99 at Toronto to drop to 1-3, after a quick early lead turned into a seven-point deficit by the end of the first quarter. The two teams meet again Friday in the same building, and the Magic need second-unit minutes that hold ground.
The fast start never became a cushion.
Orlando opened with an 8-0 burst to go ahead 12-7 and stretched its edge to nine. Then Toronto ripped off 10 straight points, turning a 21-13 deficit into a 23-21 lead, and took the first quarter 32-25. Barrett set the tone by hitting all three of his early threes. He finished with 25 points, nine boards and six assists. Toronto did this without Kawhi Leonard or Nate Bittle, which makes the margin harder to explain away.
The starters held their ground and the bench gave it away.
Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr. were each +10 in their nine opening minutes. Bane hit one of his two threes and added a steal and a block, while Carter Jr. chipped in three points, three boards and two assists. The reserves erased that work. Nikola Vucevic was -16 in six minutes, Jevon Carter -6 and Tristan da Silva -5. With Paolo Banchero's ankle and Jalen Suggs' knee keeping both of them out, Orlando has no margin for a second unit that bleeds points.
Black earned a bigger role, and Wagner has to protect the ball.
Anthony Black missed shootaround for personal reasons, the Orlando Sentinel's Jason Beede reported, and was then cleared to play. He went 3-of-4 in nine minutes for six points, with two giveaways. Grade: B. Franz Wagner was Orlando's top scorer with 15 points and five assists, but he had four giveaways in his first 11 minutes, and a rotation this short can't absorb that from its lead creator. Grade: C. Vucevic's six minutes swung the opening quarter the wrong way. Grade: D.
Friday's rematch is a chance to reset before a busy weekend.
At 1-3, Orlando sits 10th in the East, 1.5 games behind sixth-place Charlotte at 3-2, and its current pace works out to 21-61 with 78 games left. Both teams get two days off before Friday's game in Toronto. Boston and Washington follow on back-to-back nights Nov. 1 and 2. Jonathan Isaac's listed return date is Oct. 30, which would give Sean Sweeney another forward. Suggs is projected back Nov. 10 and Banchero Nov. 22, so the current group has to find answers on its own for now.
When do the Magic play the Raptors again?
Friday, Oct. 30, in Toronto, two days after the 129-99 loss. The Magic then host Boston on Nov. 1 and Washington on Nov. 2.
When is Paolo Banchero expected back for the Magic?
Banchero is out with a right ankle injury and has an estimated return date of Nov. 22. Jalen Suggs is projected back Nov. 10.
