Every recreation counts, and the Nets simply chalked one.
On the second leg of a back-to-back, in a recreation with express playoff implications, the Nets ran out of fuel at Orlando’s Amway Center and misplaced to the Magic, 119-106.
It marked Brooklyn’s sixth loss of their final seven video games following Saturday’s convincing victory over the Miami Heat.
“Really we didn’t make shots, if you want to boil it down to one particular thing,” head coach Jacque Vaughn stated postgame. “Guys gave what they’d tonight, throughout the board.
“It’s a tough one, a tough one. We come off a good win and the message to the guys is we’re gonna have to earn every single win we get.”
The Nets are actually tied with the Heat (40-34) however retain their standing because the Eastern Conference’s sixth seed as a result of they maintain the tiebreaker, having swept Miami within the season collection, 4-0.
If solely the Nets may say the identical concerning the lottery-bound Magic, who personal a bottom-six report in all of basketball.
Vaughn emptied the bench with slightly below 4 minutes left within the fourth quarter, because the Magic led by 16 and responded to a flurry of futile Nets runs.
It was a recreation the Nets lacked punch from the opening tipoff: Brooklyn constructed an early five-point lead because of Mikal Brides’ sizzling taking pictures, however Orlando’s capacity to pound the paint crippled a Nets staff nonetheless trying to find assistance on the within. The Magic scored 58 factors within the paint to the Nets’ 38 on the rim.
Bridges exploded for 44 factors on 13-of-22 taking pictures from the sphere and six-of-nine taking pictures from the three-point line. It marked the second highest-scoring recreation of his profession and tied a career-high in threes made in a recreation. Bridges additionally shot 12-of-12 from the road, career-highs in each makes an attempt and makes.
“Usually I struggle here in Orlando,” he stated. “But I actually don’t care. I used to be simply attempting to get the win.
“I feel like every time I come here I have an injury or something. I can care less right now. I wish we could have won.”
Aside from Cam Thomas — who changed Seth Curry (private causes) and Edmond Sumner (proper hip contusion) — nonetheless, Bridges obtained little assist. Thomas scored 18 off the bench on 7-of-16 taking pictures from the sphere, however just one different Net scored in double figures.
Spencer Dinwiddie missed all 11 of his shot makes an attempt, Dorian Finney-Smith shot one-of-seven from the sphere, Cam Johnson shot one-of-five from downtown, and the Nets couldn’t get a circulate offensively.
“We were 2-for-26 from three besides Mikal,” Vaughn stated postgame. “So we were searching, trying to find ways to score the basketball.”
The protection additionally faltered, permitting a bottom-third Orlando offense to attain a mixed 68 factors within the second and third quarters. The Magic led by as many as 20.
The Nets now have seven video games left on the schedule with two days off earlier than Wednesday’s matchup towards the Houston Rockets, one other opponent with a poor report the Nets must shut out.
“It’s tough to win in this league and then Orlando plays well at home,” stated Bridges. “Just a tough game, and had Royce and Ed out, too.”
In Brooklyn’s favor, six of the Nets’ final seven video games are at Barclays Center. Working towards the Nets: their season finale is towards Joel Embiid, James Harden and the No. 3-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.
“It’s a tough one, a tough one. We come off a good win and the message to the guys is we’re gonna have to earn every single win we get.”
Vaughn stated. “Every game is important. Nobody’s gonna give it to us. We’ve gotta go get it.”
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Vaughn stated Curry’s standing for Wednesday’s matchup towards the Rockets is unsure.”Still up within the air so we’ll see once we get again,” he stated. “Hopefully those two days off are good for our entire group.”
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The Nets have yet one more back-to-back on the schedule this season: Tuesday, April 4 at Barclays Center towards the Minnesota Timberwolves, then Wed., April 5 in Detroit towards the Pistons.
The Nets didn’t get a full 24 hours in-between Saturday’s 8 p.m. tipoff in Miami and Sunday’s 7:30 p.m. tipoff in Orlando.
Vaughn didn’t wish to use that as an excuse.
”We have one other again to again,” he stated, “and we’ll have to end up dealing with it better than this, for sure.”
Bridges echoed the same sentiment.
“There’s a lot of excuses in the world, but that’s definitely one,” he stated. “Give credit to Orlando, too, they’ve been playing well. They played harder than us.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com