For the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic, this was supposed to be their first real test.
While the Raptors finished fifth in the Eastern Conference standings and the Magic were stuck in play-in purgatory, only one game separated the franchises. Despite pundits refusing to give them a fighter’s chance in the first round of the playoffs, both Toronto and Orlando punched back, as fighters do.
Nearly six months after taking their respective post-season opponents the distance, they’re ready to scrap and
claw for their place in the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately, before the sound of the round one bell, both teams are already dinged up. The Magic are without Paolo Banchero (ankle sprain) for four to six weeks and Jalen Suggs (bone bruise) for at least two weeks.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the Raptors vs. Magic on Wednesday.
Much ado about everything
The Raptors are without Kawhi Leonard. For those outside of the Toronto (and Canadian) basketball world, it may seem like the streets are on fire. The 35-year-old superstar is expected to miss a period of weeks due to swelling in his left knee, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. In the team’s Oct. 27 update, it was mentioned that Leonard would be reevaluated in one week.
The most games Leonard missed during his 2018-19 stint in Toronto were four consecutive games. Leonard also dealt with right knee swelling when he missed the first 34 games of the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Regardless of what happens, one thing is certain: there will be stretches without Leonard. This year’s iteration of the Raptors, like the 2019 champions, will be defined by how they perform without Leonard. It’s been widely noted that Toronto went 17-5 without Leonard in 2019, but what doesn’t go noticed enough is that the team (either strategically or by happenstance) hedged their chances against specific opponents.
Ten of the Raptors’ victories without The Klaw came against Eastern Conference opponents. That’s always a good measurement of where a team stands as playoff brackets begin to form. However, of those ten wins, nine of them came against non-playoff teams. This is important to note after the unfortunate misfire in their first game without Leonard against the Timberwolves on Oct. 25. While Toronto finished a sparkling 7-0 against the Western Conference (including three wins against playoff teams), how the Raptors fare against teams vying for the same playoff spots will obviously carry more weight.
Wins are wins and teams should take them no matter how they come, especially when playing without one of the best players in the world. The Raptors five losses without Leonard all came against Eastern Conference playoff teams, but that’s to be expected. To tip the scales back the other way, they took care of business against teams that a team with an injured Leonard is expected to beat:
- Wizards (32-50)
- Bulls (22-60)
- Hawks (29-53)
- Pacers (48-34) – Playoff team
- Hawks (29-53)
- Wizards – (32-50)
- Heat – (39-43)
- Knicks (17-65)
- Knicks (17-65)
- Bulls (22-60)
Toronto also finished the calendar year (2018) 7-2 without Leonard. This likely helped the front office decide whether to go for it at the trade deadline.
Leonard makes good teams into contenders, and good teams should defeat a Magic squad without two of their best players.
