02/24/20 10:04:00
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02/24 22:02 CST Magic rally to beat Nets 115-113, move closer to 7th place
Magic rally to beat Nets 115-113, move closer to 7th place
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- The Orlando Magic were way down and in danger of falling
further behind in the race for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
They turned things around with their biggest comeback of the season and hope it
shows they have plenty of fight left for the final stretch.
Aaron Gordon had 27 points, 10 rebounds and a big blocked shot in the final
seconds, helping the Magic rally for a 115-113 victory over the Brooklyn Nets
on Monday night.
Orlando charged back from a 19-point deficit to move within 1 1/2 games of the
Nets for the seventh spot in the East.
"We're in the hunt, so this was a good win to get for us," Gordon said. "I feel
like we've let go of a lot of games and now it's time to get a hold of them."
Terrence Ross added 21 points and eight rebounds, Evan Fournier scored 21 and
Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 10 boards for the Magic, who were superb
offensively in the second half when they couldn't rely on their trusty defense
to get stops.
Orlando scored 74 points after halftime, sparked in part by Vucevic urging his
teammates to move the ball. Ross was 8 for 9 in the second half, when he had
all his points.
"Every team in our league will have really good wins this year," Orlando coach
Steve Clifford said. "This was a really good win and we'll see, we'll see what
we make of it."
Spencer Dinwiddie had 24 points and eight assists for the Nets, who had won
five straight at home by double digits and appeared poised to extend that
streak.
"We all know what happened. There wasn't too much to talk about," Dinwiddie
said. "It ain't no secret sauce. ... We got to play defense."
The Nets extended their lead to 67-48 early in the third before Vucevic
rebounded from a two-point first half by going 5 for 5 for 12 points in
Orlando's 40-point third quarter that cut it to 87-81.
Orlando then opened the fourth with a 7-0 spurt, with Ross' dunk with 10:35
remaining making it 88-87 and giving the Magic their first lead since the first
quarter. Neither team led by more than four from there.
Gordon's 3-pointer made it 115-111 with 1:12 to play, but Brooklyn cut it to
two on Jarrett Allen's dunk. The Nets had a chance to tie, but Gordon blocked
Caris LeVert near the rim with 14 seconds remaining.
Brooklyn got a final chance after Orlando threw away an inbounds pass as
Clifford tried to call a timeout, but couldn't get off a good shot.
TIP-INS
Magic: Injured F Jonathan Isaac, sidelined by a left knee injury, is with the
team and Clifford said the plan is for him to travel for all road trips of more
than one game. Isaac was hurt Jan. 1. "He's feeling a lot better, so it's good
to have him around," Clifford said.
Nets: LeVert scored 19 points and Allen had 16 points and 11 rebounds. ... The
Nets fell to 10-3 against Orlando at Barclays Center, still their most wins
against any opponent.
IRVING UPDATE
Kyrie Irving still hasn't had surgery on his right shoulder that will end his
first season in Brooklyn. The decision to have surgery was made last week after
Irving saw a specialist, but coach Kenny Atkinson said there's a lot that goes
into the timing of when the procedure will be done.
"I think you're tying to gather as much information and I know he's talking to
the medical team, the performance team to find the best time, the best place,
all that, best doctor," Atkinson said. "And it's not even the best, it's like,
what fits. And when we have more information we'll get it to you."
SLAMMING THE DOOR
Gordon again said he won't enter the Slam Dunk Contest anymore at All-Star
weekend after coming up short for the second time in a close contest this month
in Chicago. Fans at Barclays Center taunted him at one point by chanting "Wade
don't like you! Wade don't like you!" in reference to Dwyane Wade giving him a
9 on his final dunk that helped Miami's Derrick Jones Jr. win.
"I'm not going back there so they could rob me again," Gordon said.
UP NEXT
Magic: Visit Atlanta on Wednesday.
Nets: Visit Washington on Wednesday.
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