Raptors vs. Magic: An afternoon tea time tip-off in London

You'd be excused for forgetting the Raptors still exist in the NBA and interested in playing basketball. If it feels like it's been awhile since they took the court, that's because... it has been awhile. The reason for that is obvious, of course: The Raptors are IN LONDON.

And as it turns out [cue eerie music], they are not alone.

The Upstart Orlando Magic, their official full name, are in London as well with their 20-18 record and eighth seed position. As has been the case for a couple of years now, the Magic boast a bevy of wild, young talent. Nikola Vucevic leads the team in scoring with 17.1 points per game, and he's followed by a bunch of dudes who, while still figuring things out, can terrify. This group includes Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton, Aaron Gordon, Tobias Harris, Evan Fournier and Mario Hezonja (and Mario's sex appeal). It's not a bad time to be a Magic fan.

The Raptors of course are pushing for that 2-seed. They have, as of this writing, the best backcourt in the Eastern Conference in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. And while their injury luck hasn't been the best this year--DeMarre Carroll, we miss you--they feel extremely capable of achieving something special.

You can check up on our previous London coverage here:

- A Q&A with Dwane Casey

- A Q&A with DeMar DeRozan

- Team interviews from practice

Plus, Steven Lebron's got your preview. Tip-off is in 30 minutes so tell your boss you're going home early as of now.

Let's get into the comments for a jolly good time in London.