TORONTO – Stopping the Orlando Magic’s three-point taking pictures ought to have been straightforward.
Orlando was making a league-worst 30.6 per cent of its three-point makes an attempt heading into Friday night time’s recreation towards the Toronto Raptors. However, as an alternative, the Magic made a season-high 19 pictures from past the arc in a 106-97 win at Scotiabank Enviornment.
“We simply had a pair possessions in a row the place we made undisciplined errors, the place we tousled some scouting report stuff,” stated beginning centre Jakob Poeltl. “We have been going over on guys that we may have went beneath on, that acquired us into rotations, after which they acquired threes out of it.
“There was a pair occasions the place we simply didn’t shut aggressive sufficient, they usually acquired threes out of it.”
The Magic pulled forward with a 23-6 run within the remaining 5 minutes of the primary quarter backed by their three-point taking pictures.
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Almost half of Orlando’s three-point taking pictures got here within the first quarter alone.
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Their 9 threes within the opening 12 minutes of play tied a franchise document. The Magic additionally made 9 three-pointers towards the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 8, 2024 and versus the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 31, 2018.
Orlando made 13 three-pointers within the first half, one other franchise document. The Magic have accomplished that a number of occasions, the final time on March 30, 2024 towards the Memphis Grizzlies.
“Defensively, the largest downside was the three-point line, particularly that first half,” stated Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic. “We simply didn’t get shut sufficient to shooters that we recognized as shooters.
“We allowed rhythm pictures they usually caught hearth.”
Ahead Ochai Agbaji agreed along with his coach, noting that he and his teammates simply weren’t aggressive sufficient.
“It’s simply actually extra of an effort factor, attending to these closeouts,” he stated. “We all know we will do it, however I believe it’s extra of a mindset factor, to actually go and shut out, take them off the road, and run them off the road.”
The 2 groups have been evenly matched on subject objective makes an attempt. Orlando was 37 for 79 and Toronto 38 for 80. However the Magic took extra three-point makes an attempt and made the next share of them, ending with 10 of 44 taking pictures (43.2 per cent) to the Raptors’ 10 of 29 (34.5 per cent) taking pictures.
“We’re messing up these fantastic particulars, and it value us,” stated Poeltl.
Orlando did all of it largely with out star guard Jalen Suggs who left the sport late within the second quarter with again spasms. He had six factors in 13 minutes of play on two three-pointers.
Toronto hosts the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. They’re second within the league with a 38.5 three-point taking pictures share.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Jan. 3, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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