{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
Toronto 105, Orlando 100
When: 4:30 PM ET, Sunday, March 20, 2016
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Officials: #47 Bennie Adams, #74 Curtis Blair, #9 Derrick Stafford
Attendance: 19800

TORONTO -- The Toronto Raptors aren't too concerned with catching the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Atlantic Division leaders know if they play the way they're capable of, their playoff seeding will take care of itself.

The Raptors kept pace with the Cavaliers defeating the Orlando Magic 105-100 on Sunday extending their win streak to four games.

"Of course we want to win games, of course we want to finish first, but the most important thing is to be able to build good momentum going into the playoffs," said forward Luis Scola, who finished with 20 points and eight rebounds. "Eventually, when we get to the seventh game of the conference final, if we get there, we'll worry about that then.

"We're fighting for (first), because it's the right thing to do, but we can't lose sleep over it."

DeMar DeRozan poured in a game-high 25 points and five assists while Kyle Lowry chipped in with 18 points and seven assists for Toronto (48-21). Cleveland (49-20) holds a one-game lead on the Raptors.

Center Bismack Biyombo picked up his third double-double in four games while filling in for the injured Jonas Valanciunas. Biyombo finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

"I really don't look at it like we're chasing Cleveland," DeRozan said. "At the end of the day, we're going to have home-court advantage regardless (in the first round). Our biggest focus is getting everything we need to get together, especially defensive-wise, as a team.

Toronto improved to 13-4 since the All-Star break and pulled within one win of matching its single-season record (49) set last season.

Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier each had 21 points for Orlando (29-40), while Canadian Andrew Nicholson chipped in with 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

The Magic lost their third straight, and they have just three wins in their past 11. Orlando trails the Chicago Bulls by six games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando fell by five points or fewer for the 23rd time this season.

"Actually, it drives me crazy when I think about it. It's too late now. We can't change anything," Fournier said. "When you think about it, not even half, just six or seven of them, that's a totally different season. It's so frustrating."

Toronto took a four-point lead with 5:22 remaining in the fourth quarter thanks to a 10-0 run, and the Raptors never looked back.

The Magic carried an 82-80 lead into the fourth on the strength of 51.6 percent shooting from the field.

One area Orlando pointed to as a difference-maker was foul shooting.

Toronto went to the line a total of 45 times, with DeRozan and Lowry combining to go 20-for-26. The Magic, as a team, went to the line a total of 18 times.

"That's very difficult to overcome," Magic coach Scott Skiles said. "Those shots have to go in for you if there is that type of discrepancy. At one point they had scored six possessions in a row, and we just kind of went dry."

Added Fournier: "That's what they do. They have obviously two very good drivers in Kyle Lowry and DeRozan, and they get calls. That's what they do. They're aggressive and they get calls. That's it."

Oladipo led the way with nine second-quarter points as the Magic took a 55-53 lead into halftime.

DeRozan led the Raptors with 18 points at the break.

Scola scored four unanswered to give Toronto a 30-25 lead after one period.

The Raptors went on a 10-3 run to take a 15-5 lead. Following a Magic timeout, Orlando went on a 15-6 surge to pull to within two.

NOTES: Toronto F Patrick Patterson missed his first game with a left ankle injury sustained Friday in a 105-91 win over the Boston Celtics. ... C Jonas Valanciunas, who hasn't played since March 14 due to a left hand contusion, was available for the Raptors but didn't see any action. ... Toronto F James Johnson (plantar fasciitis) was available after missing two games but didn't play. ... Toronto recalled F Bruno Caboclo from the D-League's Raptors 905 prior to tipoff. ... Magic PG Elfrid Payton (elbow) scored two points in 17 minutes Sunday after missing five games. ... Orlando C Nikola Vucevic (right groin strain) missed his eighth game.
Top Game Performances
 
Orlando   Toronto
Evan Fournier 21 Scoring DeMar DeRozan 25
Brandon Jennings 7 Assists Kyle Lowry 7
Ersan Ilyasova 9 Rebounds Bismack Biyombo 11
Evan Fournier 6 Free Throws Made DeMar DeRozan 13
Dewayne Dedmon 1 Steals Kyle Lowry 3
Aaron Gordon 2 Blocks Bismack Biyombo 6
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Orlando 100 48.2 8-22 12-18 20 40 8 4 14
Toronto 105 43.2 6-20 29-45 18 45 7 8 12
Upcoming Games
  • Toronto will play their next game on the road against Boston. The Raptors have a W/L % of .729 after a win and .619 after a loss.
  • Orlando will play their next game on the road against Boston. The Magic have a W/L % of .367 after a win and .462 after a loss.