Two nights after a 30-point rout, Toronto lost 121-114 in an Emirates NBA Cup game to a Magic team still missing Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac. Scottie Barnes scored 41 on 34 shots, and it was not enough to wipe out a deficit Orlando built before halftime.
Chasing From the Start
Orlando led after every quarter: 31-27, 64-55, 95-88. Desmond Bane made six of 12 threes, Franz Wagner scored 26 with 11 assists, and Wendell Carter Jr. finished +17. TSN's Josh Lewenberg noted that at halftime Toronto was 3-for-13 from deep against Orlando's 8-for-13, with Barnes attacking the rim as the only thing working. The gap reached 12 late in the third. Early in the fourth, the Raptors went on a 9-0 run that turned a 100-93 deficit into a 102-100 lead, their largest of the night. It did not hold. Orlando led 115-109 with four minutes left, and Bane closed it with two free throws at 0:16. Barnes picked up his sixth foul on an offensive call with two seconds left.
One Star, Thin Support
Barnes gets a B-plus: 41 points, 10 of them in the fourth, on 19-of-34 shooting. Lewenberg called it the first 40-point game of his career, but four turnovers and a -11 keep the grade down. Jakob Poeltl earns an A-minus with 12 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, no turnovers and a +8 in 23 minutes. He was the only Toronto starter with a positive margin. RJ Barrett gets a D for 3-of-10 shooting and five turnovers, though his -1 shows the damage came elsewhere. Immanuel Quickley had 17 points, eight assists and no turnovers and still finished -11. Collin Murray-Boyles went 7-for-10 for 15 off the bench, and rookie Allen Graves did not miss from the floor in nine minutes. Jamison Battle's -10 in 19 minutes was the low mark among the reserves. The starters scored 88 and the bench 26.
Four Stops West
Toronto falls to 3-2, fourth in the conference and 1.5 games clear of 11th, with Atlanta sixth at 3-3. Next come four straight road games: the Lakers on Sunday, the Clippers the following night, Denver on November 4 and Milwaukee in another Cup game on November 6. Kawhi Leonard's estimated return is November 23, so Barnes and Barrett keep carrying the scoring, and Ja'Kobe Walter has averaged 33.7 minutes over his last five games. Nate Bittle's estimated return is November 2. Friday showed the limits of a one-man offense. When Barnes takes this many shots, the defense has to make up the difference, and it gave up 121 to a short-handed opponent.
Did Scottie Barnes set a career high against the Magic?
Barnes scored 41 points on 19-of-34 shooting, which TSN's Josh Lewenberg reported was the first 40-point game of his career. The Raptors still lost 121-114.
When will Kawhi Leonard return for the Raptors?
Leonard's left knee keeps him sidelined, and his estimated return is November 23. That means he misses the four-game road trip that starts Sunday against the Lakers.
