Raptors edge Magic on Williams' 3
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Orlando, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - A game after hitting the go-ahead shot in the final seconds, Victor Oladipo was poised to be the hero again with a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left.
At the other end, however, DeMar DeRozan drove the baseline and dished to Lou Williams for a triple with nine seconds left, and the Toronto Raptors edged the Orlando Magic, 101-99, on Friday.
"He just made a great basketball play and found me, and I was able to make the shot," said Williams.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With the win, Toronto ties idle Chicago for third in the East and preserves an 11-game winning streak against the Magic.
DeRozan led all scorers with 29 points. Tyler Hansbrough added 16, and Jonas Valanciunas tallied eight points and 13 rebounds.
Orlando was trying to win four straight games for the first time since Dec. 2012. Four players scored 16-plus points, led by Oladipo's 19. Evan Fournier scored 18 off the bench, and Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic had 16 apiece.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A 9-0 run by the Magic in the fourth gave them a 94-90 lead with 2:40 to play, but Toronto responded with the next six to go ahead. After a timeout, Vucevic collected an offensive rebound off a Harris 3 and hit his second putback attempt. At the other end, DeRozan's layup put the Raptors up 98-96 and forced another Orlando timeout.
Out of the stoppage, Oladipo received the inbounds pass, took advantage of the cushion given to him by Kyle Lowry and pulled up for 3. On the ensuing possession, DeRozan attacked the basket and kicked the ball out to Williams in the corner for the winning shot. Oladipo then missed a shot as time expired.
"We played well as a team, so this loss stings us," said Harris.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Toronto led 29-19 after an efficient quarter with strong defense, limiting the Magic to 34.8 percent shooting. Orlando turned the tables in the second and took a 51-49 lead into the break.
Back-to-back 3s by Lowry and DeRozan early in the second half returned the lead to Toronto. The Raptors led by seven on Hansbrough's jumper at 4:46 before the Magic scored 13 of the next 17 points to go up 76-74. Greivis Vasquez's free throws in the final minute set up a 76-76 tie going into the fourth.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lowry missed nine of the last 10 games and finished with 10 points, seven assists and eight rebounds ... Williams scored nine points, ending a nine-game streak of 13-plus points ... The Raptors are now 29-5 when holding their opponent under 100 points ... Aaron Gordon scored 13 for the Magic.