Despite reinserting a few starters again into the lineup, the Orlando Magic dropped Friday’s highway sport 101-84 to the Brooklyn Nets.
Guard Markelle Fultz (7 factors and 5 assists in 18 minutes) and ahead Franz Wagner (12 factors and 5 rebounds in 24 minutes) had been obtainable and again with the beginning group after sitting out Thursday’s dwelling loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Guard Gary Harris was additionally obtainable off the bench however didn’t play.
The Magic sat their starters within the loss to the Cavaliers, the primary night time of a back-to-back, choosing gamers who haven’t been within the rotation.
But a number of of these gamers — together with Fultz, Harris and Wagner — who didn’t play on Thursday had been again within the lineup towards the Nets.
Guard Cole Anthony (14 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists), who was obtainable however didn’t play towards the Cavaliers, made his fourth begin of the season towards the Nets alongside Fultz, Wagner, Jalen Suggs (7 factors and 5 rebounds in 19 minutes) and Goga Bitadze (12 factors and 15 rebounds).
“There’s always something to play for when you’re with a young group,” coach Jamahl Mosley stated pregame. “That is teaching winning habits. Teaching how to play meaningful basketball this time of year. It’s not a light switch you can turn on and off.”
The change gave the Magic a chance to take a look at completely different lineups towards a staff nonetheless taking part in for one thing.
“It’s consistently going to be what we talked about: different lineups we want to see,” Mosley stated. “Obviously going into the back-to-back, being able to look at it a different way and keep bodies as fresh as possible. It’s definitely a way to be able to look at these things.”
The Magic’s lack of continuity with their lineups was evident for the second consecutive sport.
Orlando stored the sport shut early, trailing Brooklyn 16-15 earlier than falling behind 27-23 on the finish of the primary quarter. But the Nets (45-36), led by Mikal Bridges’ 22 factors, broke the sport open by outscoring Orlando 31-16 within the second.
The Magic had 21 turnovers for twenty-four Nets’ factors. Orlando trailed by as a lot as 24 within the third earlier than their reserves reduce the deficit to 85-75 halfway by means of the fourth. But Brooklyn didn’t enable the Magic to get any nearer.
The Nets secured the No. 6 seed within the East and can keep away from the play-in match area of postseason play.
Forward Paolo Banchero (again tightness), heart Wendell Carter Jr. (left hip soreness), ahead Jonathan Isaac (season-ending left interior thigh surgical procedure on March 3), guard Jay Scrubb (ineligible to play) and ahead Moe Wagner (sprained proper ankle) weren’t obtainable.
The Magic (34-47) will shut out the season on Sunday with a matchup at No. 7 seed Miami (43-38).
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com