Nets get back on track, beating the Orlando Magic, 97-77

Having lost two straight on the road, the Brooklyn Nets were back home where they hoped to get back on track against an Orlando Magic team that was without their leading scorer, Arron Afflalo.

It also happened to be "Loud & Proud: Brook Lopez Appreciation Night," as set up by GothamGooner.

For those in attendance, and watching at home, Lopez and the Nets didn't disappoint, as they dropped the Magic, 97-77. The Nets shot 51 percent from the floor and carried a double-digit lead almost throughout, despite turning the ball over 20 times.

The Nets have now won eight straight games at home.

Lopez got off to bit of a slow start, scoring just four points on 1-of-2 shooting and pulled down two rebounds rebounds in the first quarter, while Deron Williams stepped up to carry the offense. After 12 minutes of play, Williams had 13 points and three assists, as the Nets got out to a 30-20 lead after one quarter of play.

The bench helped build on that lead, with a balanced scoring attack. Had it not been for the Magic's ability to step out and make threes, this game would not have been as close as it was at the half: 56-40.

Brooklyn let Orlando hang around in the third quarter, despite the fact that they had just four points off their bench and had only gone to the free-throw line three times through three, the Magic had pulled to within six, before Andray Blatche hit an and-one, which was, really, the only "good" offensive set in a quarter in which the Nets scored just 14 points -- and turned the ball over nine times.

The fourth quarter, however, was a different story, as the Nets went on a 9-0 run to open it. The offense was more fluid with better sets and ball movement. The Nets had built up a 21-point lead midway through the fourth and, naturally, never looked back.

Williams lead the way with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting and nine assists in 34 minutes, while Lopez, on his fan appreciation night, went for 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting and five rebounds in 28 minutes.

For more on the Magic, see: Orlando Pinstriped Post

(Recap: Nets 97, Magic 77: Brooklyn bombs Orlando from deep as losing streak reaches six - Evan Dunlap)

• Magic at Nets - January 28, 2013 - Box score - NBA.com
• Nets rout Magic 97-77 for 8th straight home win - Brian Mahoney - AP
• Magic vs. Nets: Game Highlights(Video) - NBA.com
• Lopez Jams It Home (Video) - NBA.com
• Johnson Feeds Lopez (Video) - NBA.com
• Big Baby Catches Wallace (Video) - NBA.com
• Lopez Gives Magic Painful Reminder of Player They Turned Down - Howard Beck - New York Times
  
• Nets Beat Up on Magic; Up Next, a Real Test - Dave Caldwell - Wall Street Journal
• Rapid Reaction: Nets 97, Magic 77 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• D-Will earns his salary against Magic - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• Lopez and D-Will audition for All-Star spot - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• Nets, porous on road trip, get back on track in 97-77 win over Magic - Mike Kerwick - The Record
• Nets rout Magic, but Heat will be a tougher challenge - Mark Herrmann - Newsday
• Maurice Harkless from St. John's has best game as a pro - Mark Herrmann - Newsday
• Deron Williams sets the tone early as Nets roll in a laugher over Magic - Stefan Bondy - NY Daily News
• Williams leads Nets to easy victory - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
• Promising start for former SJU standout Harkless, now with Magic - Howie Kussoy - New York Post
  
• Nets Zap Magic In Brooklyn: Nets 97, Magic 77 (Game Grades) - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
• Rapid Recap: #Nets 97, #Magic 77 - Jim Mancari - SNY Nets
• Nets Andray Blatche Gets A Ball To The Face - CJ Zero (via Twitter)
• Orlando Magic lose to the Brooklyn Nets 97-77 at Barclays Center - Josh Robbins - Orlando Sentinel
  
• First half game thread - NetsDaily
• Second half game thread - NetsDaily