Mon, 29 May 2023

Magic put 8 scorers in double figures in beating Nets

Field Level Media
27 Mar 2023, 10:55 GMT+10

Cole Anthony led eight players in double figures with 21 points as the host Orlando Magic took control in the second quarter and pulled away in the third for a 119-106 victory over the slumping Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night.

Orlando (32-43), which overcame 44 points by Brooklyn's Mikal Bridges, won its third straight by leading for the final 2 1/2 quarters and by as many as 20. Orlando outscored the Nets 68-49 in the second and third quarters.

The Nets (40-35) lost for the sixth time in seven games after dominating the second half in a 29-point win in Miami on Saturday.

Brooklyn is one-half game ahead of Miami for sixth place in the Eastern Conference, which would mean entry into the playoffs without having to take part in the play-in tournament. If the teams finish with the same record, the Nets would claim the tiebreaker because they won the three-game season series over the Heat.

Franz Wagner collected 19 points and 10 rebounds as Orlando outscored the Nets 58-38 in the paint. Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 18 points, Jalen Suggs 16 and Moritz Wagner 12 as Orlando shot 52.9 percent and scored 21 fast break points, overcoming Brooklyn 25-5 advantage in second-chance points.

Bridges produced his second career 40-plus-point game and finished one shy of his career high set Feb. 15 at home against Miami. Bridges shot 13-of-22 but had little help as Brooklyn's other four starters (Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cameron Johnson and Nic Claxton) combined for 23 points on 9-of-35 shooting.

Cam Thomas added 18 and Johnson was the only other starter in double figures with 10. Dinwiddie was held to two points and went 0-of-11 as the Nets shot 40.7 percent and missed 27 of 35 3-point tries after hitting 18 on Saturday.

Bridges scored 19 of Brooklyn's 25 points as the Nets held a one-point lead through the opening quarter. Orlando outscored the Nets 24-15 over the final six-plus minutes of the first half and opened a 60-51 lead by halftime.

Bridges' trey got the Nets within 65-60 with 8:05 left in the third quarter, but the Magic gradually gained ground. Orlando outscored the Nets 27-14 over the rest of the quarter. Along the way, they led by double digits for good after a basket by Fultz made it 74-64 with 5:55 left and took a 92-74 lead into the fourth after Anthony sank a jumper with 1.2 seconds left.

Orlando reached the century mark when Moritz Wagner converted an easy dunk to make it 100-82 with 9:32 remaining. The Magic finished it off when Anthony sank two free throws for a 117-102 lead with 3:49 left as Bridges took a seat for good.

--Field Level Media

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