Nikola Vucevic was forced to toss up a prayer from halfcourt and the Raptors were able to hang on for the 106-103 overtime victory.
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The Toronto Raptors’ business trip to London was all play with the Toronto team beating Orlando Magic in overtime at the O2 Arena.
The two outstanding players on the Raptors squad, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, left their British hosts with nothing to complain about, the former in particular proving why he surely must play a part in the All Star Game when it comes to Toronto later in the year.
The popularity over the next few years sparked the change to make the game between the New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors in 2011 the first proper regular season game.
Orlando’s Elfrid Payton drives against Toronto’s Luis Scola at The O2 Arena in London on Thursday.
The Raptors are on a three-game winning streak and boast the second best record in the East. They are doing a great job surviving without DeMarre Carroll, who is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his knee.
The Magic backcourt of Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier wound up with 27 and 21, respectively, to win that specific battle.
They travelled to London having lost five of their last six games, putting their post-season hopes in jeopardy.
After a long trip overseas, the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic went the extra mile to entertain an worldwide audience. After Lowry missed a shot, he stole the ball from Oladipo and was fouled by Tobias Harris. But how he feels about Brooklyn-or anybody else-I can’t say. A replay review gave possession to Orlando, but Jason Smith bounced a shot off the rim as the buzzer sounded, sending the game to overtime.
Magic current head coach Scott Skiles was then a prominent Magic point guard. Most of the teams that would have interest in our players would have interest in our young players and we covet our young players pretty highly right now.
In fact, there are several teams equally interested in DeRozan, who is averaging 22.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists as “co-point guard” with Kyle Lowry. You see them on TV and to be that big and mobile, in boxing sometimes the biggest guys aren’t the most nimble on their feet but the speed, power, the National Basketball Association players possess is second to none.
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The Magic have a real chance of securing an unlikely play-off spot this season and sensed they could get a shock win in the fourth quarter.
