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Recap: EAST RUTHERFORD (NBA.com exclusive) -- The Nets' 2009 home debut marked something of a measurement game as the rebuilding team faced the Orlando Magic, who in addition to being the defending Eastern Conference champions also now have Vince Carter, formerly New Jersey's best player.
Unfortunately, the Magic's 95-85 win on Friday night at the IZOD Center showed just how far New Jersey has to go as Orlando cruised even with the man nicknamed "Half Man, Half Amazing" missing half the game a sprained left ankle suffered late in the second quarter.
Carter still managed 16 points in a dazzling 15 minutes, but it was Dwight Howard inflicting the most damage with 20 points and 22 rebounds.
"We won, so it's never disappointing," Carter said. "It was just great getting out there. It was like old times.
"As much as I know we're trying to accomplish something, you always enjoy playing against guys you went to battle with the year before. But it was a weird feeling, I will say that."
Carter, who enjoyed five seasons with New Jersey after an unceremonious departure from the Toronto Raptors, received a warm introduction before the opening tip and had Nets fans pining for his return almost instantly with a sparkling one-handed jam for the first points of the game.
"I tried to attack the basket and get to the rim and it started to open up like the Red Sea," Carter said.
Carter had 13 points on 5 of 7 shooting in the first quarter and, after a rest early in the second period, drained a 3-pointer late in the quarter to put Orlando up by 10.
"I was ready to sit back and enjoy it," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said.
But the Nets got a reprieve from their former star when he tripped over the foot of Nets' second-year guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and headed to the locker room with a sprained left ankle. Carter, who was traded to Orlando on June 25 with Ryan Anderson for guards Courtney Lee and Rafter Alston and veteran center Tony Battie, said after the game it was a "mild sprain" and he hoped to play Sunday against the Raptors.
The Nets trailed the entire second half and never got closer than nine points in the fourth quarter. Lee, the second-year guard who was "devastated" to leave Orlando after the Carter trade, led New Jersey with 18 points.
"They're just executing to a T," Lee said of his former club. "Playing for each other, playing team ball."
"They're the Eastern Conference champions for a reason," said Nets guard Devin Harris, who had 16 points and seven assists. "They make a lot of tough covers out there with Dwight in the middle and their capable three-point shooters."
"Obviously, Orlando is a high-level team," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "We're saying that this is going to be process."
Carter, of course, is thrilled to be in Orlando. It was his offseason home before the trade and, of course, the Magic figure to compete for a return to the NBA Finals this year. But he looks at the end of his tenure with the Nets as unfinished business.
"My motivation was to get us in (into the playoffs) and just go from there," Carter said. "Hopefully we could build on it, just get in the playoffs and in a few years maybe play for a championship down the road. I was able to see the big picture and make the best of it. We had an opportunity and it just slipped away."
The Nets are now 0-2 to start the season after a deflating season-opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while Orlando improves to 2-0 with a couple of impressive road wins.
Preview: NEW JERSEY (STATS) -- Judging by his reaction after the season opener, Vince Carter likes his new surroundings. It won't take him long to visit his old ones.
Carter makes his return to New Jersey with the Orlando Magic when they try to spoil the Nets' home opener Friday night.
Orlando decided to upgrade its roster after reaching the NBA finals last season, acquiring Carter in a five-player deal with the Nets less than two weeks after the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Magic for the title.
The eight-time All-Star came to Orlando with Ryan Anderson while New Jersey received point guard Rafer Alston, shooting guard Courtney Lee and power forward Tony Battie.
Carter was acquired by the Nets from Toronto on Dec. 17, 2004, and helped them reach the Eastern Conference semifinals twice. He was second on New Jersey with 20.8 points per game last season.
Carter is a Daytona Beach native who has made his home in Orlando for years. He had 15 points Wednesday in his home debut, a 120-106 win over Philadelphia.
"You look around," Carter said, "this is like heaven."
He'd probably describe the current state of the Nets in less flattering terms. New Jersey has posted back-to-back 34-win seasons under Lawrence Frank - the longest-tenured coach in the East - and has a very young team this season.
The Nets showed some growing pains Wednesday in a 95-93 loss to Minnesota in their opener, blowing a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter. They were outscored 10-2 in the final 3 minutes.
"These are hard lessons, but the lesson is try to maintain your poise," Frank said. "Teams are going to make runs, and it's how you respond to them, and we obviously didn't respond well tonight."
Brook Lopez had 27 points and 15 rebounds while Yi Jianlian and rookie Terrence Williams also had double-doubles. Lee made 2 of 11 shots for five points in his Nets debut.
Lee started 16 of the Magic's 21 games in the playoffs last season, averaging 8.0 points and developing a reputation as a solid defender.
Anderson was considered a throw-in in the Carter deal after he averaged 7.4 points for the Nets last season as a rookie. He scored 16 on Wednesday and started in place of Rashard Lewis, who is suspended for the first 10 games for testing positive for an elevated level of testosterone.
The Magic placed six players in double figures as All-Star center Dwight Howard led the way with 21 points and 15 boards. Orlando led by 23 points at halftime and 31 after three quarters.
"With all the surrounding talent that we have, it really cuts down on the starters' minutes and keeps us fresh," Carter said.
Orlando has won six of eight against New Jersey, taking two of three last season. Howard posted eight straight double-doubles against the Nets, averaging 20.2 points and 14.3 rebounds, before he played sparingly and finished with seven points and eight boards in a meaningless 103-93 loss in the final week of last season.
Game Notes: Oct. 30 @ New Jersey: Orlando is 43-35 all-time vs. New Jersey (23-15 at home, 18-20 on the road, 2-0 at Tokyo, Japan) during regular season play…Orlando went 2-1 last season against the Nets...The Magic have won seven of the last 10 meetings with the Nets…The Magic have won five of the last six matchups in Orlando, but lost five of the last nine trips to New Jersey…Ryan Anderson was drafted by the Nets in 2008 and spent his rookie season in New Jersey (2008-09)…Vince Carter spent four-plus seasons with the Nets from 2005-09…Anthony Johnson played two seasons (100 games) with New Jersey from 2001-03 and helped the Nets reach back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. NETS: 50 pts., Nick Anderson (@ New Jersey, 4-23-93)
BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. MAGIC: 41 pts., Kendall Gill (@ New Jersey, 1-13-97)
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