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Toronto Raptors beat Orlando Magic 108-94

The things that came seemingly so easy to the Orlando Magic in the first two games of this series disappeared in Thursday’s Game 3 under an avalanche of errors, defensive gaffes and clanging jump shots.
And because the Magic seemed at times as rattled in Toronto as the Raptors were in Orlando earlier in the week, this once-lopsided series could be up for grabs once again.

A Toronto team left for dead just days earlier overwhelmed the rattled Magic in the first half and made all of the necessary plays down the stretch in a 108-94 Game 3 whipping of the Magic.

Orlando still leads the best-of-series series 2-1. Game 4 is Saturday at 3 p.m. (TNT). It assures that there will be a Game 5 Monday night back in Orlando’s Amway Arena.

The Magic worked hard to stay in the game in the second half, but couldn’t overcome a deficit that swelled to as much as 23 points in the second quarter. Orlando got as close as nine points seconds into the final period, but missed several chances against a Toronto team that was playing with a tremendous sense of desperation.

Orlando entered the game brimming with confidence because of the way that it played on the road during the regular season. Orlando tied the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA’s second-best road record (27-14) this season, trailing only Boston (31-10). The 27 road wins were the most in Magic franchise history, more than the Magic team that made the 1995 NBA Finals (18 road wins) and more than the 1996 team (23 road victories) that won 57 overall and reached the Eastern Conference Finals.

Magic franchise center Dwight Howard had 19 points and 12 rebounds, but his teammates couldn’t match his firepower. Point guard Jameer Nelson, who averaged 21 points in the first two games, did not score until 2:27 was left, scored just four points and missed six of his eight shots. And Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando’s second-leading scorer this season, had 26 points but just seven field goals. Rashard Lewis chipped in with 19 points.

Orlando turned the ball over 14 times, leading to a whopping 24 Toronto points. And they had no answer for a Toronto team that spread the floor and rained in 12 3-pointers. The Raptors’ balance was so good that they won easily on a night when all-star forward Chris Bosh managed just three first-half points and 15 for the game.

The Magic made 801 3-pointers during the regular season, the second most in NBA history, but they remained stuck in a slump from beyond the arc. Orlando missed on 14 of its first 16 3-pointers in the first half. They hit just six of 27 tries for the game (22.2 percent).

Since the first quarter of Game 1, when Orlando opened the series with nine 3s in 11 tries, the Magic have made just 17 of 75 (22.7) 3-pointers.
Embattled Toronto point guard T.J. Ford, who entered the game having missed 15 of 17 shots and facing calls that he be benched in favor of reserve Jose Calderon, scored 18 first-half points as the Raptors jumped to a 61-40 halftime lead.
Ford keyed a game-turning 16-0 run late in the second quarter with 11 rapid-fire points. He took advantage of Jameer Nelson’s foul trouble and had his way with reserve Carlos Arroyo, repeatedly getting into the lane. Ford made six of eight shots and all five of his free throws in the first half.

Orlando contributed to its own woes by shooting a dismal 40.5 percent and turning the ball over 11 times, leading to 20 Toronto points.

Howard had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Magic, making seven of 10 shots (five dunks). However, his teammates were lost offensively and connected on just eight of 27 tries. The Magic’s four guards were just one of 11, while Lewis missed five of eight shots.

Toronto had control of the game even though Bosh had just one field goal and three points in the first half.

Outscored 78-41 in the first quarters of the opening two games in Orlando, Toronto instead was the team that jumped to a fast start Thursday. The Magic’s early shooting and turnover problems allowed the Raptors to build a 26-13 before the game was nine minutes old.

Jamario Moon, Toronto’s starter at small forward most of the season, returned to the starting lineup after being benched just before the playoffs. And the rookie had a big impact, scoring eight quick points in transition and 11 in the first half.