The Toronto Raptors are looking to win back-to-back games for only the third time this season when they face the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
Immanuel Quickley returned after missing 22 games due to an elbow injury, and the Raptors ended an 11-game losing streak with a 130-113 home win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Quickley scored 21 points and had 15 assists, while Scottie Barnes added 33 points and 13 rebounds.
Orlando, on the other hand, has lost three of its last four games, including a 105-96 defeat to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
The Raptors had won consecutive games on Nov. 18 and 21 to end a seven-game losing streak. They also won back-to-back games on Dec. 1 and 3 before starting their 11-game slide. All four of their wins during these streaks have been at home.
In their most recent victory, the Raptors shot a season-high 59.1 percent (52-for-88) from the field and 50 percent (16-for-32) from beyond the arc. They also scored a season-best 33 fastbreak points, compared to 21 for Brooklyn.
Quickley made an immediate impact after returning.
“He’s got a lot of skills but he’s a point guard,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “When he’s bringing the ball up the floor, he is calling plays on the run, recognizing situations. … He’s doing a really good job and he’s my extension on the floor when he plays out there.”
Barnes added, “The intensity that he brought to the floor on both ends of the floor, it was great. Something that we really missed, and we needed. His playmaking ability, his ability just to get to the paint, his shooting, all that we needed it, his leadership. He was unbelievable, talking throughout the entire game. So, you know, we really missed it.”
The Raptors are in the middle of a three-game homestand. They have a 7-11 record at home and are just 1-15 on the road.
The Magic are wrapping up a two-game trip, with a 7-11 road record.
On Wednesday, Orlando fell behind Detroit by 18 points but made a strong comeback, outscoring Detroit 26-19 in the third quarter. The Magic closed the gap to 93-90 with 6:26 left, but couldn’t keep the momentum going.
“They picked their pace back up,” said Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who scored 21 points. “They were aggressive the whole game.”
Caldwell-Pope, who averages 9.1 points per game, struggled against Brooklyn on Sunday, scoring only five points on 2-for-10 shooting. However, he bounced back with an efficient 8-for-11 performance against Detroit, including 4-for-6 from three-point range.
“Just being aggressive,” Caldwell-Pope said. “It’s 2025. I told myself just be a little bit more aggressive on the court, shoot the ball when I’m open, try not to pass up as many shots as I have been doing and just continue to be me and get better.”
Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 24 points in Detroit, while Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 15 points. Suggs missed the second half of the Magic’s 102-101 win over the Nets due to a sprained right wrist.
“At this point, everything hurts,” Suggs said. “But it’s part of the journey of an NBA season. So, I’ll get some work done, take care of it with the medical staff, get ready to play in Toronto. It’s all you can do, really.”
Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, who has played in just five games due to an abdominal injury, has been doing some light contact work during practice but remains out, as does Franz Wagner (oblique).
This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season. Last year, Orlando won all three matchups against Toronto.
