Magic-Nets Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
Posted Nov 10 2012 5:23PM

With injuries taking a toll, the Orlando Magic are having a difficult time adjusting in the post-Dwight Howard era.

The Brooklyn Nets, meanwhile, hope to repeat their winning formula from Friday's blowout at Orlando when they turn around and host the short-handed Magic on Sunday.

With Howard, a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, now manning the middle for the Los Angeles Lakers, the new-look Magic (2-3) have been outscored 118-86 in the paint during a three-game losing streak.

That margin includes a 46-30 advantage by the Nets, who were coming off a 30-point loss at Miami but pounded the ball inside against Orlando on the way to a 107-68 victory.

Nets centers Brook Lopez and Andray Blatche did the most interior damage, combining for 29 points and 19 rebounds in a combined 48 minutes.

"It definitely was a focus," Lopez said. "We wanted to come out and just hit them right away."

The Nets (2-2) snapped a 10-game losing streak in the series and handed the Magic their second-worst home defeat behind a 121-81 loss to Detroit in its second NBA season in 1991.

Orlando has allowed opponents to shoot 47.5 percent from field over its last three games, including a season-high 50.0 by Brooklyn. Friday marked the first time this season a Magic opponent has scored more than 100 points.

"We've got a lot to work on, defensively being the main issue," guard Arron Afflalo said. "But the good thing is that we play the same team on Sunday. So I think it will be a great chance for us."

Orlando also appears to have a lot to work on offensively after averaging 71.5 points and shooting 38.7 percent from the field in its last two games. The team's 90.6 scoring average is one of the league's worst.

The possible return of Jameer Nelson (groin, hamstring) could help, though backup E'Twaun Moore has been solid in four games as the starting point guard with an average of 15.0 points while hitting 10 of 16 from 3-point range.

Two other key Magic players won't be back Sunday. Al Harrington (knee) isn't expected to return for another week and Hedo Turkoglu (broken hand) could be out until December.

Those absences put extra pressure on Glen Davis and J.J. Redick to produce, but they've stumbled after strong starts. Davis has averaged 9.3 points and shot 29.5 percent during the three-game skid after totaling 51 points during Orlando's 2-0 start. Redick is 3 for 11 from 3-point range during the losing streak after going 6 of 8 over the first two games while averaging 22.5 points.

Another area in which Orlando has struggled is getting to the foul line. While Howard led the league in free-throw attempts for them in 2011-12, the Magic's 82 this season are among the fewest in the NBA and they had only eight against Brooklyn.

"You have to be committed to execution," first-year coach Jacque Vaughn said. "Not every other play, not every fourth play, but every single play. You have to cut hard every single play. You have to screen every single play for us to have success."

Brooklyn starting forward Gerald Wallace will likely miss a fourth consecutive game Sunday with a sprained ankle. The same injury has guard MarShon Brooks listed as day-to-day after sitting out Friday.

Nets hold on, finish home-and-home sweep of Magic

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted Nov 11 2012 7:01PM

NEW YORK (AP) The Brooklyn Nets knew it wouldn't stay this easy, even if five quarters of evidence said otherwise.

The game did get close, and unlike last Monday's meltdown, this time the Nets handled it.

Brook Lopez scored 20 points, Kris Humphries added 14 points and 21 rebounds, and the Nets beat the Orlando Magic 82-74 on Sunday to complete a home-and-home sweep.

Deron Williams finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and a couple key plays down the stretch after what once appeared to be another blowout got tight. The Nets beat the Magic 107-68 at Orlando on Friday and jumped out to an early 20-point lead in this one.

But after losing a 22-point lead at home against Minnesota on Monday, Brooklyn almost coughed up another huge cushion, letting Orlando get within five in the final 2 minutes.

"We definitely take the win. We're happy about that. We're not happy about how we finished the game and how we almost gave up a 20-point lead again," Williams said. "I don't know if we got lackadaisical or what because we were up 20, but this is something that can't happen time after time."

Glen Davis had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who have dropped four in a row after opening with two wins in their first season since trading Dwight Howard.

"The shots that we had tonight were good shots when you look on it. It's just the matter at the beginning of the game having that focus for 48 minutes, not just three quarters or one quarter or one half," Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn said. "Soon as that ball is thrown up at the beginning of the game, that focus needs to be there."

Aaron Afflalo also scored 19 for the Magic, who won their last five games against the Nets in New Jersey but so far don't match up against the rebranded team in Brooklyn.

Playing without Jameer Nelson (right hamstring), Al Harrington (right knee) and Hedo Turkoglu (broken left hand), they simply don't have enough offense, coming into the game ranked 26th in the NBA with 90.6 points per game. They couldn't even get 20 points in the first seven quarters against the Nets, then managed 21 in the final period of this one.

"We fought hard and continue to learn. It's only game six. We'll hopefully figure out what it takes from the beginning of the game until the end of the game," Afflalo said.

Joe Johnson scored 13 for the Nets, who are still without starting forward Gerald Wallace, who hasn't played since spraining his left ankle in the season opener.

That didn't matter Friday, and sure didn't look like it would early Sunday.

"I think you can have a tendency to see the score at times and you're up, 17, 18 points and you may have a tendency to relax on a play or two, which could cause a team to get some momentum," Johnson said after a 3-for-13 performance that dropped his field goal percentage to 36.2 percent.

"Obviously they gained a little bit, but we were able to withstand it in the fourth quarter and make a few shots and put them away."

A 14-2 run gave the Nets a 19-8 lead, and when Orlando got within seven late in the first quarter, Brooklyn scored the final 11 points, highlighted by C.J. Watson's six points in 4 seconds.

He made a 3-pointer, then stole the inbounds pass and drew a foul while making a layup. Reggie Evans' free throws made it 35-17 headed to the second and the rout seemed on, even if the Nets weren't buying it.

"Like we've been talking about, it's tough to beat a team when you play them two games in a row," Humphries said. "You have a big win, they're motivated to come in here and play. So we knew they were going to make a run, but we were able to handle it and finish the game out."

It was hardly a run. Orlando crawled back into it, with some help from the Nets.

Andray Blatche's basket to open the second made it a 20-point game, but Afflalo had a pair of three-point plays in a 12-2 surge that cut the lead in half. Brooklyn recovered and went into the half leading 50-35.

The Magic then outscored the Nets 18-13 in a tough-to-watch third quarter in which the teams combined to shoot 12 for 34, and cut it all the way to 75-70 on Davis' basket with 2:07 remaining in the game.

Williams answered with a jumper, and after another basket by Davis, he found Lopez inside for a 79-72 advantage with 59 seconds to play. He added a free throw to push it to eight and the Nets were safe from there.

Orlando finished 1 of 12 from 3-point range.

NOTES: Williams turned his ankle in the fourth quarter, and Nets coach Avery Johnson said he isn't getting enough room to land on his jump shots. ... Vaughn spent two years with the Nets from 2004-06. ... Jerry Stackhouse, 38, finished with five points after scoring 11 on Friday in his Nets debut after sitting out the first three games. ... Reserve MarShon Brooks (sprained left ankle) also was sidelined for the Nets. Avery Johnson said he wanted to see both Wallace and Brooks go through a practice before they could return. ... The Magic play their third consecutive game against a New York team when they host the Knicks on Tuesday.

Notebook: Nets 82, Magic 74

Jake Appleman, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Nov 11, 2012 6:27 PM - Updated Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:47 PM

THE FACTS: Less than two days winning by 39 points in Orlando, the Nets managed to overcome their own Sunday sluggishness and fend off the Magic, 82-74 at Barclays Center.

The Nets scored 47 total points after exploding for 35 in the first quarter and their rugged rebounders, Kris Humphries (14 points and 21 rebounds) and Reggie Evans (seven rebounds) chased down a necessary 28 caroms at the power forward position, helping to preserve the victory.

Arron Afflalo (19 points, seven rebounds, five assists) played extremely hard -- as is his wont -- in leading the Magic.

QUOTABLE: "We got up by 20 and then we started to relax a little bit." -- Nets coach Avery Johnson.

THE STAT: The Magic would have had a better chance at a win had they not shot 1-for-12 from beyond the arc.

TURNING POINT: C.J. Watson scored six of his seven points in four seconds, draining a 3-pointer, then stealing the ball from Ish Smith, which led to an and-1 conversion. The sequence staked the Nets to a 30-17 lead that Brooklyn would not relinquish despite some unsettling second-half play.

QUOTABLE II: "You get 20 rebounds and you lose, who really cares→ So, I'm happy that we won." -- Humphries.

INSIDE THE ARENA: A subdued crowd came to life late in the contest with the outcome seemingly hanging in the balance when the Magic made their run.

ROOKIE WATCH: Andrew Nicholson did not score in just over three minutes of action for the Magic.

NOTABLE: Deron Williams (17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists) and Brook Lopez (20 points, three rebounds) scored the Nets' first 15 points. ...Joe Johnson (3-for-13) continued to struggle with his shot.

UP NEXT: For the Magic, Tuesday vs. New York, Friday @ Detroit, Sunday @ Toronto. For the Nets, Tuesday vs. Cleveland, Thursday vs. Boston, Sunday @ Sacramento.

• Magic: Harrington, Turkoglu
• Nets: Brooks, Wallace

• Magic: --
• Nets: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
• Officials: #13 Monty McCutchen, #70 Brent Barnaky, #65 Sean Wright
• Attendance: 16523
• Duration: 2:15