After much of December has proven to be quite an unsteady course for this Raptors squad, it was starting to put a bit of a grim blow on all the great achievements Toronto has accomplished in the short 2025-26 sample size.
And as 2025 winds down, with Toronto's final game of the year scheduled for New Year's Eve, the Raptors will head into their third consecutive game of a five-game homestand with a ton of momentum. On December 29, the Raps toppled the Orlando Magic in yet another exhilarating affair, scraping by 107-106, just a day after securing astatement overtime win against the Golden State Warriors.
Toronto Raptors edge out Orlando Magic in an entertaining battle
At first, it seemed like Orlando was on track to take care of business against a Raptors squad that had come out of the Warriors game feeling low on gas and steam. But Toronto rallied the troops and mounted a daunting effort to overcome a comfortable 21-point lead by the Magic. This turnaround represents the largest comeback for Toronto in the 2025-26 campaign to date.
Desmond Bane quickly went on a hot offensive streak in the first half, scoring 18 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the field. Paolo Banchero also made an impressive impact at halftime with 15 points and seven rebounds. On the other side for Toronto, stars Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and Immanuel Quickley struggled to find their shooting rhythm. Aside from notable contributions from Jamal Shead and Gradey Dick, the broadcast panelists pointed out that Toronto appeared to be just a step behind.
At the half, Orlando was shooting a solid 42.9 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from three. Toronto, as mentioned with their early hurdles, was shooting just 35.2 percent from the field and struggling to find a three-point rhythm, hitting only 25.0 percent as a team from beyond the arc.
But NBA basketball is a 48-minute affair, sometimes longer, as we saw in the overtime tilt with the Dubs. The second half revealed the Raptors cranking up their effort levels to flip the script on Orlando. Toronto turned up with 44.4 percent field goal shooting as a team in the second half, and while still struggling a bit to find a groove from deep, at 21.4 percent — it eclipsed in comparison to the Magic's 38.1 percent field goal shooting and 13.3 percent from three.
Moreover, Toronto dominated the paint during the second half by securing 28 rebounds compared to Orlando's 19. They also led in the points scored in the paint, with a total of 32 to the Magic's 24. Toronto will face Orlando two more times this season. The scheduled matchups are set for January 30 in enemy territory, while their March 29 showdown will take place on the Raptors' home court.
*All stats courtesy of Raptors PR and NBA.com unless otherwise noted