After Slow Start, Raptors Roll to Win Over Magic

ORLANDO — It wasn’t a perfect game, but get rid of that first quarter and we’re not sure even coach Dwane Casey would have a problem with this one.
Coming off a loss in which they were pounded on boards and exposed inside, the Raptors took a little time to get it going but once they did they rolled to a 109-79 win.
Defensively, the second half was as close to lock-down as the Raptors have been all year. They gave up 30 in the first quarter, 51 by the half and then just 28 total in the final two quarters.
Now, the Orlando Magic are not going to be confused with the Golden State Warriors any time soon, but this team has been well over 100 points in each of its past four games, including 131 against the Atlanta Hawks just five days earlier.
The Raptors were playing without Cory Joseph, who stayed at the team’s hotel battling a nasty flu bug. Chances are they stuck him with the team broadcasters on the charter home.