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INSIDER

EVAN FOURNIER

Trade deadline passes, and Kyle Lowry remains with Raptors

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) celebrates a three-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday, March 24, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)Kyle Lowry wound up staying with Toronto after all. The trade deadline has come and gone. “Anytime you trade a player like Nikola, it is a tough decision to make," Magic President Jeff Weltman said. But Lowry — a free-agent-to-be and considered perhaps the biggest prize on this year's trade market — did not get traded, the Raptors apparently unable to find enough assets to their liking. Questions swirled around Lowry all the way to the 3 p.m. EST deadline, and there were signs that the Raptors were positioning themselves to make the move.

Booker, Suns roll to 6th straight win, beating Magic 109-90

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives between Orlando Magic forward Dwayne Bacon (8) and center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, in Phoenix. That made a drama-free blowout over the Orlando Magic a welcome change Sunday night. Devin Booker scored 27 points, Mikal Bridges added 21 and the Suns cruised to their sixth straight victory, beating the short-handed Magic 109-90 in a game that was never particularly close. “We did what we had to do to win the game,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. He shot 10 of 16 from the field against the Magic ... Deandre Ayton added 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Curry goes off again with 10 3s as Warriors hold off Magic

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, dribbles against Orlando Magic forward Gary Clark during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. Curry knocked down 10 3-pointers on the way to 40 points and also contributed eight rebounds and five assists, leading the Golden State Warriors past the undermanned Magic 111-105 on Thursday night. “I just told him he looks great, he looks quick, he looks healthy, he looks like he’s loving it,” Clifford said. Nikola Vucevic had 25 points, 13 rebounds and five assists as the Magic lost a third straight game, seventh in eight and ninth of 11. ... Golden State hasn't lost two in a row at home this season.

VanVleet sets Raptors mark with 54 in 123-108 win at Orlando

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, left, drives around Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)ORLANDO, Fla. – Fred VanVleet set a franchise record with 54 points and hit a career-best 11 3-pointers as the Toronto Raptors beat the short-handed Orlando Magic 123-108 on Tuesday night. AdNorman Powell had 23 points for Toronto, and Kyle Lowry posted a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Orlando, which has lost 12 of 14, tried almost every guard on its roster against the 6-foot-1 VanVleet with little to no success. AdMagic: Orlando was without Gordon, who severely sprained his left ankle later in Sunday’s game against Toronto. Magic: Orlando hosts Chicago on Friday and Saturday in a two-game set.

The NBA preseason begins, with empty arenas as the stages

Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford talks to players during a timeout in the first half of the team's NBA preseason basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, in Atlanta. The NBA preseason — a truncated 49-game, nine-day sprint — opened Friday with a five-game slate, action returning to NBA arenas for the first time in exactly nine months. Friday’s games:KNICKS 90, PISTONS 84At Detroit, R.J. Barrett scored 15 points and Toppin finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in his debut as the Knicks won their preseason opener. Julius Randle scored 11, while Elfrid Payton and Nerlens Noel each scored 10 for New York. Svi Mykhailiuk and Saddiq Bey led the Pistons with 14 points apiece.

Bucks beat Magic 118-104, take series in 5 games

Williams scored all 12 of his points on 3-pointers, and Brook Lopez added 16 points for Milwaukee, which won four straight after dropping the opener. Nicola Vucevic had 22 points and 15 rebounds for Orlando, while Evan Fournier added 18 points. Middleton followed with a fade from the top of the key, Williams added another 3 and Middleton's free throw pushed the Bucks' lead back to 105-93 with 5:24 left. Orlando stayed close into the second quarter and was within six points when Marvin Williams 3 began a 23-12 Bucks run to end the half. Bucks: Outscored Orlando in the paint, 42-32 and finished with 16 3s on 45 attempts.

Magic beat Nets 128-118 in restart opener, move up to 7th

They extended their winning streak to four and moved back ahead of the Nets into seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The Magic outscored the Nets 75-43 in the middle two quarters, allowing them to overcome some shaky defense at the start and finish. So Brooklyn started two players who hadn't started an NBA game this season one who never had. Veteran Jamal Crawford, signed as a substitute player after not playing in the NBA this season, did not play. Nets: Play Washington on Sunday.

Coronavirus behind him, Utah's Rudy Gobert looking forward

FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2020, file photo, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert shoots during practice before a NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Salt Lake City. Gobert is standing tall, even after having coronavirus and dealing with an enormous amount of scorn after being diagnosed. He was the first NBA player to test positive for the virus and that prompted many to blame him for the league's shutdown in response to the pandemic. Im in a good place, you know, Gobert told reporters Friday. And you know, thats what I did.Gobert immediately started trying to show remorse.