Orlando Magic: 5 keys to series vs. Raptors
By Luke Duffy
3. Show no fear as underdogs
We’ve touched on this already, but by winning 17 more games than last season and making it to the postseason, the Magic have already far surpassed their expectations this season. This playoff exposure is going to be great for certain players, not to mention the fans, but just getting to this point was the hard part.
The atmosphere will be drastically different on Saturday for Game 1 in Toronto, but the hope is that the Magic will play with no fear. Simply come out and surprise a superior opponent, something they had great success with throughout the year. In fact, they’re 2-2 against Toronto during the regular season, which can only be viewed as a positive.
The Raptors, on the other hand, have the unenviable task of being expected to take care of business early. They’ve got Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Ibaka, Marc Gasol and the presumed Most Improved Player of the Year in Pascal Siakam. The Magic? People hardly know who they are, so they shouldn’t be giving them any problems. The weight of history for the Raptors is there as well.
.@OrlandoMagic might use their surging confidence from the reg season to shock @Raptors in Game 1 of the POs. Toronto is 2-13 all-time in the POs in Game 1s. The Raptors beat Washington last year in a Game 1 & Philly in a 2001 Game 1. In between, they lost 10 straight Game 1s
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) April 11, 2019
The Raptors have traditionally started the postseason slow, and although that gives us no indication on how this series will begin, it is worth noting. Should the Magic get out to an early lead, something they’ve managed to do on a number of occasions during the season, Scotiabank Arena is going to get awfully quiet.
This free and easy style of play, all while maintaining their defensive focus, will be crucial if they hope to cause an upset. Should they manage to break it out back at home and steal a game though, fans will go insane. They are going to cheer regardless, because this group has brought the buzz back to Orlando Magic basketball — no mean feat in itself given where they were just a few short years ago.