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Raptors aim to stay on track versus Magic

Jan 29, 2014 - 3:09 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Raptors have won three of their last four and will try to keep the momentum going Wednesday night when they host the Orlando Magic at Air Canada Centre.

The Raps lead the Atlantic Division by 2 1/2 games and two of their recent victories have come on the road against division opponents.

On Friday, they toppled the Philadelphia 76ers, but lost at home the following night to the Los Angeles Clippers.

On Monday, the Raptors passed a stiff test when they went to The Barclays Center and knocked off the hot Brooklyn Nets, who are Toronto's closest competitors in the Atlantic.

Patrick Patterson picked off a Deron Williams pass and buried a go-ahead jumper with six seconds left to lift the Raptors to a 104-103 victory. With Brooklyn holding a one-point lead with 12 seconds to play, Williams lobbed an inbounds pass into the backcourt that Patterson intercepted before dishing to Kyle Lowry.

Lowry was double-teamed near the top of the key, forcing him to pass back to Patterson, who waited for Williams to fly by before draining the short jumper to put Toronto on top.

"It was just the safest pass for me and I have confidence in Pat (Patterson)," Lowry said of his decision to go to Patterson. "I got confidence in him that he's going to make that shot every time."

Lowry finished with 31 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five steals, while Jonas Valanciunas scored 20 points and grabbed 13 boards for the Raptors. Patterson posted 15 points, while Greivis Vasquez scored 12.

DeMar DeRozan, Toronto's leading scorer, missed the game after he sprained his left foot on Saturday. He is listed as day-to-day.

The Magic have lost their last two, which were the start of this road trip that will end in Toronto. They've actually dropped four of five and 14 of 16 as their record is just 2-13 in 2014.

On Tuesday, Orlando got clobbered in Detroit, 103-87.

Victor Oladipo led Orlando with 19 points, while Tobias Harris and Arron Afflalo each chipped in 14 in the setback. Jameer Nelson had 11 points with seven assists and E'Twaun Moore added 10 points off the bench for Orlando.

"Every guy on this team needs to take pride and ownership in their individual performance and the team's performance," Nelson said.

The Magic return to Orlando for one game on Friday, then head back on the road for stops in Boston and Indiana.

The Raptors swept all four meetings last season, but the Magic have won five of their last eight trips north.