Augustin hits game-winner as No. 7 Magic stun Raptors

LOS ANGELES, USA – The Toronto Raptors were left spellbound by the Orlando Magic as the NBA playoffs got under way on Saturday, April 13 (Sunday, April 14, Manila time). 

DJ Augustin was the hero for Orlando as the second-seeded Raptors were left ruing missed chances after crashing to a 104-101 loss to the Magic in the Eastern Conference matchup at the Scotiabank Arena.

Augustin drained a three-pointer with 4.2 seconds to play to seal a famous win for the seventh-seeded Magic, who finished the regular season with 16 fewer wins than Toronto.

Augustin’s winner gives Orlando its first lead in a playoff series since 2012, and will reawaken the doubts surrounding Toronto’s playoff mentality following consecutive sweeps by Cleveland in 2018 and 2017.

DJ AUGUSTIN WINS IT FOR THE @ORLANDOMAGIC! #NBAPlayoffs

Final in Toronto:#BlueAndWhiteIgnite 104#WeTheNorth 101 pic.twitter.com/UU9Ki1LWwx

— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2019

Magic coach Steve Clifford praised his team’s dogged never-say-die approach. “Just the fight and way we hung in there,” Clifford said.

“I thought our defense was very good for most of the game. Even when things went against us, we hung in there.”

Augustin led 7 Orlando players in double-digits with 25 points – highlighted by a 4-of-5 shooting clip from three-point range – and dished out 6 assists. 

Evan Fournier scored 16 and Jonathan Isaac had 11 points and 8 rebounds for the Magic. 

Kawhi Leonard paced the Raptors with 25 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, while Pascal Siakam finished with 24 points, 9 boards and 4 assists.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set Tuesday.

Watch the TOP PLAYS down the stretch as the No. 7 @OrlandoMagic outlast TOR in Game 1! #BlueAndWhiteIgnite pic.twitter.com/rAhC0NlSBf

— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2019

– Rappler.com