Cohen: Magic-Nets Postgame Analysis
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By Josh Cohen
November 13, 2010
WHAT WENT RIGHT
From one extreme to the next, Nelson went from feeling completely stunned and thwarted to feeling completely jubilant and relieved.
After missing two free throws with 19.6 seconds remaining that spirited the Nets to take the lead on their next possession, Nelson showed no remorse as he sprinted the other way with no timeouts left and serenely buried a game-winning fadeaway along the baseline over the reach of Lopez with 4.1 ticks left.
Similar to his late-game heroics against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, Carter aggressively attacked the hoop in the critical moments of the fourth quarter.
Formerly the go-to star for the Nets, VC flushed home a thunderous tomahawk jam and followed with a nifty spin and score in the lane in the final minutes.
Although it wasn’t the kind of night we are accustomed to seeing from Howard, the four-time All-Star drilled two free throws with 57 seconds left to put Orlando ahead by six.
D12 was in foul trouble for a large portion of the second half and finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Pietrus transported his scorching shooting with him to New Jersey. After connecting on a career-best eight 3-pointers on Friday against Toronto, MP hit another four from long distance.
WHAT WENT WRONG
When you look at the opponent and the final score, it remains a mystery why the Magic have not been able to dominate like most would expect them to against seemingly weaker competition.
But like the Raptors and Jazz did in Orlando’s last two games, the Nets made shots that they don’t normally make. For example, Jordan Farmar, who is shooting just 31 percent from downtown on the season, drilled a deep 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to pull New Jersey within one.
Against the Raptors, similarly, Sonny Weems buried just his fourth 3-pointer of his career that turned out to be the game winner.
It’s hard to fathom the struggles both Rashard Lewis and J.J. Redick are having from 3-point range. The two combined to shoot just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc against New Jersey.
FINAL OBSERVATIONS
Nelson proved to be the man of the night with his game-winning bucket and deservedly so. Just like he did in the playoffs last season, “Mighty Mouse” has shown time and time again to be a warrior and never afraid of pressure-packed moments.
The Magic need to utilize this thriller to inspire them next week when two solid Western Conference teams come to Orlando. The Grizzlies and Suns are both hungry to prove they belong in the playoffs this season.
"I’m happy for our guys but we still need to play better," Stan Van Gundy said.
It’s also imperative for Orlando to elevate its confidence before it gets its opportunity to have a rematch with the Miami Heat. The two Southeast Division rivals play the night before Thanksgiving at Amway Center.
READ FULL ANALYSIS
November 13, 2010
WHAT WENT RIGHT
From one extreme to the next, Nelson went from feeling completely stunned and thwarted to feeling completely jubilant and relieved.
After missing two free throws with 19.6 seconds remaining that spirited the Nets to take the lead on their next possession, Nelson showed no remorse as he sprinted the other way with no timeouts left and serenely buried a game-winning fadeaway along the baseline over the reach of Lopez with 4.1 ticks left.
Similar to his late-game heroics against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, Carter aggressively attacked the hoop in the critical moments of the fourth quarter.
Formerly the go-to star for the Nets, VC flushed home a thunderous tomahawk jam and followed with a nifty spin and score in the lane in the final minutes.
Although it wasn’t the kind of night we are accustomed to seeing from Howard, the four-time All-Star drilled two free throws with 57 seconds left to put Orlando ahead by six.
D12 was in foul trouble for a large portion of the second half and finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Pietrus transported his scorching shooting with him to New Jersey. After connecting on a career-best eight 3-pointers on Friday against Toronto, MP hit another four from long distance.
WHAT WENT WRONG
When you look at the opponent and the final score, it remains a mystery why the Magic have not been able to dominate like most would expect them to against seemingly weaker competition.
But like the Raptors and Jazz did in Orlando’s last two games, the Nets made shots that they don’t normally make. For example, Jordan Farmar, who is shooting just 31 percent from downtown on the season, drilled a deep 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to pull New Jersey within one.
Against the Raptors, similarly, Sonny Weems buried just his fourth 3-pointer of his career that turned out to be the game winner.
It’s hard to fathom the struggles both Rashard Lewis and J.J. Redick are having from 3-point range. The two combined to shoot just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc against New Jersey.
FINAL OBSERVATIONS
Nelson proved to be the man of the night with his game-winning bucket and deservedly so. Just like he did in the playoffs last season, “Mighty Mouse” has shown time and time again to be a warrior and never afraid of pressure-packed moments.
The Magic need to utilize this thriller to inspire them next week when two solid Western Conference teams come to Orlando. The Grizzlies and Suns are both hungry to prove they belong in the playoffs this season.
"I’m happy for our guys but we still need to play better," Stan Van Gundy said.
It’s also imperative for Orlando to elevate its confidence before it gets its opportunity to have a rematch with the Miami Heat. The two Southeast Division rivals play the night before Thanksgiving at Amway Center.
READ FULL ANALYSIS
