• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Raptors-Magic Preview

Nov 5, 2015 - 10:40 PM The Toronto Raptors are off to the best start in franchise history, but coach Dwane Casey isn't letting them get complacent following two early playoff exits.

The Raptors will try to keep the big picture in mind Friday night when they open the Florida portion of their four-game road swing seeking a 12th straight win over the Orlando Magic.

Despite moving to 5-0 for the first time with Wednesday's 103-98 win at Oklahoma City, Casey is trying to keep Toronto even keel after back-to-back Atlantic Division titles led to first-round playoff defeats.

''It's a marathon; it's not a sprint," he said. "We've got to maintain this. I told the guys, get off their feet. No running around shopping in Orlando or enjoying the sun.''

The Raptors will try to continue their success at both ends, averaging an Eastern Conference-best 106.0 points while allowing 95.6. They've also held their last three opponents to a combined 25.9 percent shooting in the fourth quarter.

DeMar DeRozan finished with a season-high 28 points - hitting 14 of 15 from the free-throw line - Wednesday when Toronto overcame an eight-point deficit in the final six minutes. Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas contributed 17 apiece.

DeRozan (22.2 points per game) and Lowry (19.2) are leading the way for Toronto, which will conclude its trip against Miami on Sunday. Stopper DeMarre Carroll was brought in from Atlanta after the Raptors ranked 19th with 100.9 points allowed per game in 2014-15.

''I don't know how many games we're going to win, but I do know that we're going to scrap,'' Casey said. ''We're going to compete, play hard, get after people."

The Raptors have done that in recent years against the Magic, allowing 91.0 points per game during their longest active winning streak versus an opponent. They won 16 straight over Chicago from 1999-2002 and 12 in a row over Minnesota from 2004-10.

Former Raptor Lou Williams drilled a 3-pointer with 9.9 seconds left for a 101-99 win April 10 in the most recent meeting at Orlando (1-4). DeRozan scored 29 in that contest and has averaged 24.8 over his last four in this series.

Toronto will certainly have to keep an eye on Evan Fournier in this meeting. A night after putting up a career-high 30 points in a 103-94 win at New Orleans, he had 29 and helped limit James Harden to 6-of-22 shooting in Wednesday's 119-114 overtime loss at Houston.

''Evan had a great game," said coach Scott Skiles, whose club's losses have all come by five points or less, including a pair in overtime. "He carried us offensively and guarded Harden most of the game and that is really tough double duty.''

Fournier, who averaged a career-high 12.0 points last season, is scoring a team-high 20.6. He's made 55.4 percent from the field and 9 of 21 from 3-point range in his last three. Fournier has played well in his past five games against the Raptors, averaging 17.8 points.

The Magic, however, won't have Nikola Vucevic as they try to avoid losing their first three home games for the first time since 2005-06. The center, averaging 15.8 points and 8.0 rebounds, is out with a bone bruise in his right knee.

Second-year forward Aaron Gordon hopes to build on his career-high 19-point effort against the Rockets.