Raptors at Magic
The Toronto Raptors will have star forward Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup when they visit the Orlando Magic on Tuesday in the third contest of a four-game road trip. Leonard was held out for rest for the fifth time this season on Saturday when the Raptors routed the Chicago Bulls 122-83 to halt a three-game slide.
Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry is expected to be in the lineup despite departing the Chicago game in the third quarter after suffering an ankle injury. Lowry, who didn't practice on Monday, leads the NBA in assists at 10.4 per game while ranking third on the Raptors in scoring (15.5) behind Leonard (24.8) and power forward Serge Ibaka (17.5). The Magic are playing well with three straight victories and seven in their past nine after recording a 131-117 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday. "We're going to continue to get better as the year goes along," power forward Aaron Gordon told reporters. "What have we done? We've won some games. We've got a long way to go and we've got a lot more games to go. We've got to continue to play the way that we know how."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FS Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (13-4): Guard Fred VanVleet established season bests of 18 points and four 3-point baskets in the victory over the Bulls in his best performance of the season. VanVleet was just 2-of-14 shooting over the previous two contests before breaking out with a 7-of-11 effort against Chicago. "He really looked like his old self," Toronto coach Nick Nurse told reporters. "He's been a shell of himself lately, in all phases. Not getting the ball where he wants to go. Not shooting the 3 at a high level. He just looked like a different guy out there, and that's good."
ABOUT THE MAGIC (9-8): Center Nikola Vucevic narrowly missed the third triple-double of his career with 28 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the win over the Knicks. Vucevic is averaging 31.3 points on 35-of-57 shooting over the last three games and has five double-doubles over the past six contests. "I've just been aggressive the last couple games, and with how we've been playing, it puts me in a lot of good positions to score and my teammates have been able to find me," Vucevic told reporters.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Raptors went 3-0 against the Magic last season and have won the past four matchups.
2. Gordon scored a season-best 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting against the Knicks on Sunday.
3. Toronto SF OG Anunoby (wrist) is questionable after sitting out against the Bulls.