After playing with fire in the last three games, the Nets finally burned out.
They found ways to win these three games, despite some nervous moments. But the strongest team in the NBA suddenly cooled in a 121-113 loss to the Magic before 3,665 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.
Kyrie Irving scored 43 points, but wasted. The Nets (28-14) looked good, but simply couldn’t get them down, while their six-game winning streak in the NBA broke and fell halfway behind the 76ers. in the Eastern Conference.
While the Nets’ shots wouldn’t fall, the suddenly struggling Magic (14-27) couldn’t miss.
“It simply came to our notice then [what we did]”Said Irving. “I came to draw a board, they were receiving free throws or a 3-pointer was going clear, or a certain type of game was happening in which we looked at each other, we just had to offer them slap their ass and say good game .
“They came from a very desperate back-to-back, and we didn’t match them with energy, so [it] it happens that way. That’s how you feel about losing. We don’t want too many feelings like that, so learn from it and move on. ”
Going from 103-84 to the fourth quarter, the Nets opened the period with a 16-1 run to shoot in four points. But that’s as close as they got.
The Nets created open photos, but finished only 10-for-37 in the 3-point range. Meanwhile, Magic – the last percentage of field goals that came in – went 21-for-40 from deep. Aaron Gordon, who finished with 38 points, entered an area and the Nets could not get him out.
“Teams have to be perfect to beat us and they just hit shots – hard hits,” Bruce Brown said. “I have never seen Aaron Gordon take such photos in my life. So just a hard night. ”
It’s been a while since the Nets had one of these. They have won 14 of the last 15, including a team record eight straight on the road. But that’s over.
James Harden had 19 points and nine assists, while Joe Harris added 16. But after recording marathon minutes in Indiana on Wednesday, they looked exhausted.
Harden shot 4-for-15 overall and 2-for-8 from the 3-point range. And Harris – who has reached 50 percent depth this season – was only 3 for 13, including an airball.
“I think James and Joe are tired. They had a heavy burden against Indiana, so I think the two definitely felt a little tired in their legs, “said coach Steve Nash. “Sometimes you can play very, very hard and be very, very active, but that doesn’t mean your legs will be there in your picture.”
The Nets fell behind 25-18 right on goal. They gathered seven unanswered to shoot even a 3-point Landry Shamet, but the tie was short-lived. The Nets fell 48-36 to a 3-point Evan Fournier with 7:09 left in the half.
Another 8-0 run brought the Nets back 52-49 and they briefly resumed the lead at 65-64 when Irving opened the second half with a 3. But in short it was the operative word.
The Nets coughed an extended 29-11 run in the next eight minutes, with Nikola Vucevic’s free throws 93-76, with 3:51 left in the third.
“I couldn’t buy a bucket,” Shamet said. “It’s the NBA: If you dig a hole, 20 to anyone early, it’s going to be hard to get back up.”
Nets tried. Down 103-84 to start the fourth, they opened up an 11-0 run – including an amazing touchdown pass from Harden to Nic Claxton.
Irving’s 15-foot shot brought the Nets to 104-100. But they ran out of gas, fell 11 and lost to a team that had lost nine in a row.
“I think 21 out of 40 out of 3 of them are remarkable. That was, in many ways, the story of the game, “said Nash. “If we had been a little clearer to begin with, maybe we could have reduced that. But maybe it was one of those nights. ”