Magic at Raptors
THE STORY: The Orlando Magic don’t seem to get as much attention as the other elite teams in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make some noise in the playoffs later this month. With the way Dwight Howard has been controlling the paint recently, he might be able to carry the Magic all by himself. The Toronto Raptors have spent the bulk of the season making no noise of any kind - at least as far as the standings are concerned. The Raptors will continue playing out the string when they host Orlando on Sunday.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, FSFL, TSN2
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (20-55): Toronto dropped its sixth straight on Saturday, 113-106, at the Chicago Bulls. Playing without leading scorer Andrea Bargnani, the Raptors still did not have much of a problem getting the ball in the basket - it’s stopping the other team that is the big issue. Derrick Rose torched the Toronto perimeter for 36 points and the Bulls shot 48 percent in the contest. Four of the Raptors’ final seven games are against East playoff teams as they attempt to avoid falling behind the Washington Wizards (19-56) for the second-worst record in the conference.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (48-28): Orlando has been on the road a lot recently, playing nine of its last 12 games away from Amway Center. Instead of faltering, the Magic have picked it up, going 8-4 in that stretch. One of the few setbacks came on Wednesday, when Orlando visited likely first-round opponent Atlanta and fell 85-82. Jameer Nelson scored 20 points but missed two chances to tie it in the final minute. Howard helped the Magic bounce back on Friday, collecting 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting and adding 14 rebounds in an 89-77 triumph over the Charlotte Bobcats. The franchise center has improved his game all around since the All-Star break, even connecting on 69 percent of his free throw attempts over the last six games - up from his season mark of 59.1 percent.
WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Howard has 33 straight double-doubles and is averaging 16.1 rebounds over the last 12 games. Jason Richardson has struggled for Orlando, managing 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting in the last two contests.
KEY STATISTIC: 114.3. The Raptors have been even worse on the defensive end down the stretch, allowing an average of 114.3 points over the last six games. Jerryd Bayless scored 26 points on Saturday for Toronto, the first time he has scored at least 20 since Dec. 15.
SEASON SERIES: Toronto took the first meeting, 110-106, on Nov. 12 but the Magic embarrassed the Raptors in the second meeting, 112-72, on Jan. 21. Howard led with 31 points and 19 rebounds and Ryan Anderson added 21 and 10 while the Orlando defense held the Raptors to 35 percent shooting. The Magic have won four of the last six in the series.
KEY INJURIES: ORLANDO: G Gilbert Arenas (illness); G Chris Duhon (thumb); G J.J. Redick (abdominal). TORONTO: C Andrea Bargnani (ankle); G Jose Calderon (hamstring); F Linas Kleiza (knee).
LAST WORD: Never one to get excited, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy still thinks his team needs to pick up its play before the postseason. “We have to play at a higher level than we did (Friday),” Van Gundy said. “We have to. We’ve got to start getting serious about it. … To think we can get there and just flip a switch, that‘s faulty thinking. There won‘t be any power there.”