When the defending Eastern Conference champions face a team chasing down history in futility, maybe winning just isn't enough.
The Orlando Magic jumped out to an early lead, but the New Jersey Nets hung around. The Nets' deficit hovered around 10 points for most of the night, and ultimately the Magic held on to win, 97-87.
Too close for comfort says Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy.
“All year, losing the lead is how we play,” Van Gundy said. “Give us a lead and we will play poorly at both ends of the floor. I have absolutely no idea how to fix it.”
To be correct, the Magic never actually lost the lead. Orlando pounced all over New Jersey to start the game, opening a 32-18 lead after the first quarter. Orlando cruised to a wire-to-wire victory.
While the Nets focused on eliminating Dwight Howard, the Magic guards reaped the benefits. Matt Barnes scored 14 of his 16 points in the first quarter, and Jason Williams sparked the team in the third quarter. Williams finished with 13 points off the bench.
Van Gundy and Nets interim head coach Kiki Vandeweghe have similar problems: neither one has a team that can hold a lead. The difference is Orlando is 43-20 while New Jersey sits at a dismal 6-55.
While Van Gundy fumed about his team's play in a 10-point win, Howard looked at the bright spots.
"It's a win, there's no need to be sad about it," Howard said. "I've been listening to Stan all year. There's no need for us to be upset about [the win]. I'm pretty sure, from a coach's standpoint, you want your team to play the best that they can play.
"Every night is not going to be a blowout," Howard added. "We can't expect that. We won the game and that's what matters. It doesn't matter if we won by one point or 20 points. We still got a 'W,' we could've came out of here with a loss tonight... We're not going to beat ourselves up over a win."
Wins have been few and far between for the Nets. They spotted the Magic a 14-point lead after the first quarter, and New Jersey only outscored Matt Barnes by four in the first frame.
Another sloppy first quarter led to another loss.
"We can't spot Matt Barnes 14 points in the first quarter," said Devin Harris, who scored 17 points and dished out 10 assists. "I mean, he's a good player but we can't give up those type of numbers and expect to win... We gave them a head start in that first quarter."
"I was (surprised at the disappointing first quarter) because that had not happened until the last game," Vandeweghe said. "We've always gotten off to real good starts, so that's two games in a row we haven't."
New Jersey cut into the Orlando lead and trailed by only seven, 50-43, at halftime. The Magic opened the second half on a 7-0 run, though, highlighted by a high-arching three-pointer from former Net Vince Carter.
The Nets only got as close as an 8-point deficit in the second half.
Defensively, New Jersey was able to contain Orlando's two biggest weapons, Howard and Carter. Carter scored 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting while Howard only managed 11.
Brook Lopez scored a game-high 18 points.
Howard averaged 23 points and 17 rebounds in the first two meetings between the Magic and Nets. New Jersey often doubled Howard, limiting him to 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Although the gameplan was to keep the ball away from Howard, the Magic knocked down 13 three-pointers.
"That's anybody's gameplan, but they have about eight guys that shoot the three quite well," Harris said. "That's what makes them a great team. They made some tough ones and we got them to take a lot of tough ones, but they made enough to win."
Nets' Notes
- Terrence Williams followed up his 21-point performance against Cleveland with 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Williams has made a case to crack the starting lineup, but Kiki Vandeweghe has noted he likes the energy Williams brings off the bench.
- New Jersey received just six points from the starting forwards. Trenton Hassell and Yi Jianlian combined to shoot 3-of-11. Kris Humphries scored 12 points coming off the bench while Keyon Dooling and Jarvis Hayes combined for 12 points as well.
- Struggling through a season in which a veteran scorer is missed, Devin Harris reminisced about the Vince Carter days in New Jersey:
"For me he was that comfort guy, that guy I always knew I could depend on on the court," Harris said. "As far as late game situations and we needed a big guy to go to, it was his game.
"I learned a couple moves here and there. He taught me my patented spin move and things of that sort... And just the way he cared and attacked the game. Every shot is a good shot for him, so I took that mentality from him."
- Courtney Lee missed his third straight game with a sprained ankle.
Comments