Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) drives the ball as the Raptors beat the Orlando Magic 108-95 at Amway Center. DeRozan finished with a game-high 26 points.David Manning
DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points, Kyle Lowry added 21 and the Toronto Raptors beat the Orlando Magic for the eighth straight time with a 108-95 victory on Saturday night.
The Raptors held the Magic to 35.8 per cent shooting in the final quarter and put all five starters in double figures to win their second in a row.
Evan Fournier scored 18 points for the Magic, who have lost three straight. Rookie point guard Elfrid Payton had 16 points and nine assists.
The Raptors took an 87-78 lead into the fourth quarter, but scored only six points in the first seven minutes to keep Orlando in the game. The Magic couldn't take advantage, missing half their first 10 free throw attempts in the quarter and their first four 3-point attempts.
Still, Orlando climbed within 93-89 after a free throw by Channing Frye with 5:03 to play. Toronto responded with seven straight points and a 13-2 run that settled the issue. Jonas Valanciunas started the run with a pair of free throws, but it was a 3-pointer by Terrence Ross, a floater by DeRozan and a follow shot by Amir Johnson that took the air out of any Orlando comeback.
Fournier had 11 points and Payton 10 and five assists as the Magic took a 52-49 halftime lead. It was the first time in three games this season that Orlando has led at the half and much of that was attributed to 52 per cent shooting.
Lowry kept his team close, scoring 12 points in a matchup against Payton, but the Raptors were only 1 for 8 from behind the 3-point line and 4 of 21 for the game.
Orlando stretched the lead to 64-57 before DeRozan heated up, scoring eight straight during a 12-2 run that put Toronto in front 69-66. He and Lowry combined for 22 points in the quarter as Toronto stretched the lead to 87-78.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Toronto has no injuries yet this season. . Lowry had the team's first four-point play of the season. He was fouled by Payton while draining a 3-pointer from straight on.
Magic: PF Kyle O'Quinn missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. . Orlando is 34-34 all-time against Toronto. . SF Maurice Harkless, who started 41 games last season, but didn't play in the first two, saw his first action this season. Harkless had seven points and five rebounds in 22 minutes.