clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Nets lose their 9th straight at home, fall to the Magic, 83-77

By Tom Lorenzo
Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

BROOKLYN -- The Brooklyn Nets entered Friday night's game against the Orlando Magic having lost their last eight games at Barclays Center. They left Friday night with a 9-game losing streak at home, falling to the Magic 83-77. Brooklyn shot just 39.7 percent from the floor.

Both teams were bad, but the Nets were terrible.

Once again, Brooklyn got off to a rough start, as has been their modus operandi over their 8-game losing streak at home. The Magic wings were to long and quick for the Nets wings, as Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier got off to a hot start. And as the Nets made their adjustments, the Magic went inside to Nikola Vucevic, who has had great success against Brooklyn.

Brooklyn, meanwhile, went 0-of-5 from three and turned the ball over six times in the first quarter. After one, the Magic held a 26-17 lead. The Nets shot 31.6 percent in the quarter.

Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez had combined to score 4 points in the first 18 minutes of the game, still, thanks to an unlikely few off the bench, the Nets remained within striking distance in the second quarter.

Lionel Hollins brought Johnson and Lopez back into the game at about the 6-minute mark in the second, and the Nets went on a quick 5-0 run, thanks to Johnson and Lopez, to take a 35-33 lead.

Both teams struggled in the second quarter, the Magic more so than the Nets. But neither should be proud of their play, though the Nets were able to overcome a 9-point deficit to end the first half with a 38-37 lead. Neither team shot 40 percent from the floor in the first half.

The 37 points for the Magic in the first half was an opponent season low for the Nets defense this season. The 11 points the Nets held them to in the second was also the fewest points they've surrendered in a season this year. The defense played well, but the offense couldn't much play up to their own defense, which is why they held just a one point lead at half.

Joe Johnson started to heat up in the third quarter, as did Shane Larkin. Oladipo could not stay in front of Larkin, which naturally led to Larkin taking the ball to the basket when he saw daylight. The problem was, the Magic began to collapse on Larkin, whose adjustment was to turn his back to the basket and throw the ball up in the air, in hopes that one of his teammates would bail him. Usually, they wouldn't.

Overall, the third quarter was no better than the first or second. Neither team got over 40 percent from the floor, and heading into the fourth quarter the score was 62-60, with Orlando carrying a two point lead after Ellington hit a buzzer-beater.

The Nets had the momentum, heading into the fourth quarter, after Ellington's big three to end the third. Orlando, however, started the fourth hitting back-to-back threes and regained the lead and the momentum from the Nets.

From there, it was a disaster of a quarter for the Nets. The Magic were able to get pretty much open looks throughout the fourth, while the Nets couldn't get anything going. They scored 10 points in just under 10 minutes, to ultimately give the game to the Magic.

Oladipo and Vucevic led the way for the Magic, while the Nets were mediocre across the board. They're now 10-26 and have lost 9 straight at home. And the schedule doesn't get any kinder to the Nets over the next two weeks.

It's bad. Really, really bad.

Next up for the Nets is Saturday night against the Detroit Pistons on the road.

For more on the Magic, see: Orlando Pinstriped Post

More From NetsDaily