The Toronto Raptors fall to the Orlando Magic 114-121 in what was a physical matchup from the opening tip. Scottie Barnes delivers a dominant performance, dropping a career-high 41 points, to go along with five rebounds and five assists.

While the offense started to find its groove in the second half, the Raptors continued to go to the well with Barnes. His usage highlights my biggest takeaways from this Raptors loss.

Scottie Barnes’ Career-High Still Not Enough

When the offense lacked substance and flow, the Raptors continued to look to Scottie Barnes to assert himself and get to his spots. He was backing down defenders, making the most of his mid-range shots, and following up his misses at the rim. He lead all players at the half with 23 points, which translated to a dominant all-around performance to close the game.

Orlando only shot five more free throws in the second half. It was their uncharacteristic three-point shooting that the Raptors didn’t have an answer for. The Magic shot 18-34 from beyond the arc, which was a season best for this squad. The three-point attempts were neck and neck over the course of the two games played between these teams, until Orlando found a second gear to close out the game.

The Raptors now head on the road to begin their Western road swing, starting with the LA Lakers on Sunday. 

Sign up for our free newsletter, which will bring all Toronto Raptors On SI stories every weekday to your email.