Nets-Magic III
The Nets and Magic meet for the third time this season, with the Nets in search of their first win against Orlando. The Nets led the Magic 93-90 with 1:43 to play in their last meeting, but let the game slip away down the stretch. The Magic went on a 10-0 run to finish the game, as fouls and turnovers proved costly in the 100-93 loss. The Nets will be looking to recapture their execution from the first 46 minutes to get their first win over the Magic this season.
Manage Turnovers:
Turnovers plagued the Nets in their last two games against the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors. The Nets committed 19 turnovers in a 91-74 loss to the Raptors on Wednesday and 14 against the Celtics on Monday. The Nets committed 10 second-half turnovers against the Magic on Dec. 30. All three of those games were losses. The takeaway? Manage the ball and limit easy points for the opposition.
“We had a lot of turnovers,” Young said. “Just right now we’re out of sync as far as running our stuff and executing, but like I said last game, it’s about finding the right lineups, mixing and matching guys. Right now, we’re trying to work at it every day.”
Losing The Magic:
The Orlando Magic have lost a season-high four straight games heading into Friday’s action. The usually-stingy Magic allowed at least 100 points in three of those four losses and haven’t cracked 90 points in their last three contests. Prior to the skid, the Magic went 13-5.
Elfrid Payton Questionable:
Magic point guard Elfrid Payton is considered questionable for Friday’s game with a left ankle bruise. Payton has missed the Magic’s last two games, though the injury may have limited his playing time and effectiveness beforehand. Payton only played five minutes against the Nets on Dec. 30 with a turnover and no points. The 21-year-old scored 17 points with five assists and five boards in the first meeting between the Nets and the Magic this season on Dec. 14 at Barclays Center.
Victor Oladipo has started in Payton’s place, averaging 19 points, six boards and four assists over those two games. Oladipo also had a season-high four steals in a New Year’s Day matchup against the Washington Wizards.