Brooklyn Nets Crumble in Final Minutes Against Orlando Magic

38. 111. 147. Final. 118

After a gutty win against the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night, the Brooklyn Nets took on the Orlando Magic tonight. Brooklyn fell short, 111-118.

The Brooklyn Nets were on the road for the first of a three-game road trip. In this game, the Nets faced the Magic, who have won two straight. The Nets are coming off a 107-97 win against the Los Angeles Lakers, where they looked solid even without point guard and playmaker Jeremy Lin. Lin was active once again tonight and came off of the bench.

The game started off relatively slow. Three minutes in, and it took a Bojan Bogdanovic layup to tie the game at a low 5-5. However, things started to pick up for both teams’ offenses, especially when the Nets inserted Lin into the game.

Lin did what he has done with the Nets this season: change the game with his playmaking and penetrating. He only played five minutes in the first quarter, but scored four points, dished out two assists, and grabbed one rebound. A solid first quarter saw the Nets hold a slim 28-25 lead.

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As the second quarter began, Brooklyn’s hot scoring continued. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was very active as well as Bogdanovic, who hit a deep three to give the Nets an eight-point lead. The Magic would fight, but the Nets seemed to have an answer for most of what the Magic threw at them.

However, the Magic used their athleticism and intensity to tie the game at 50 apiece with just under three minutes remaining in the first half. The Nets strayed away from the Brook-Lin pick-and-roll and went cold towards the end of the first half, heading to the locker room with the Magic leading the Nets, 53-52.

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The Nets opened up the second half on a 6-0 run, coming out of the locker room with their running shoes on and ready to play. They remained in front for most of the third quarter, but the Magic stuck in there and fought, keeping it close as both teams battled. Brooklyn pulled away, but Orlando was able to regain the lead and ended the third quarter with an 83-82 lead over the Nets.

The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth contest where both teams were scoring with ease. The Nets found themselves with a 104-101 lead. DJ Augustin tied the game with a three-pointer. Later on, Lin hit a jumper to cut the lead to two points and caused the Magic to call a timeout.

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What followed after, however, was not good, and Evan Fournier hit a three-pointer to extend the Magic’s lead. From there, the lead grew until the Nets couldn’t do anymore. Brooklyn collapsed in the fourth and fell to the Magic, 118-111.