Mar 29, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Mario Hezonja (23) drives to the basket as Brooklyn Nets guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) attempted to defend during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Having just defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, the Brooklyn Nets can make it two straight wins with a victory over the Orlando Magic.
The Brooklyn Nets have a chance to do something they haven’t done yet this season: win two games in a row.
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Being just 7-17 on the season, it isn’t often that the Nets find themselves favored to win games. That is once again the case, with the Magic being seven-point favorites in the contest. Even so, a win over the 11-16 Magic is accomplishable, even for the Nets. To start a winning streak would be a nice confidence boost for the Nets, a team that is 2-5 in December.
The Magic have a bit of a different story. They recently had a three-game winning streak snapped by the Boston Celtics. Since then, they have suffered losses to the Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers. Their last win came three days ago against the Atlanta Hawks, making for a 4-5 record in the month of December.
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These two teams seem to be building on different philosophies. The Nets are in total rebuilding mode, starting from the bottom and looking to rise to the top. The Magic still need to do some work before they can be viewed as a serious contender, but players like Serge Ibaka, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic, Bismack Biyombo and Elfrid Payton offer a promising future.
It will be a battle between two of the league’s less competitive teams. But hey, maybe we will see a rematch between these two teams in the playoffs in the coming years.
Dec 12, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin (7) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Nets’ Keys To Victory
Jeremy Lin Needs To Play
After missing six weeks due to a hamstring injury, Nets’ point guard Jeremy Lin made his anticipated return against the Houston Rockets. Lin received 20 minutes of playing time, scoring 10 points to go along with three rebounds, seven assists, a block and a steal.
Back in the beginning of the season when Lin was healthy, the Nets won two of their first five games. There was optimism for the Nets, a team that was expected to compete for the title of worst team in the NBA. But Lin went down after those five games, and the Nets struggled without him.
His return to the team was vital, but of course, the Nets received more bad luck with Lin suffering from back tightness. He is currently questionable to play against the Magic. We all know how important Lin is to this team. He contributes in every aspect of the game and is the glue that holds this team together. His return is key for a potential win over the Magic.
Excel On the Defensive End of the Floor
This one is for the Nets as a team. The Magic have scored more than 100 points in each of their past three games, while the Nets have given up at least 100 points in seventeen of their last eighteen contests. This is simply a recipe for disaster.
The Nets have gotten the job done offensively. The biggest problem has been limiting opposing teams. There are a variety of causes for the poor defense we have seen from the Nets. To name one, Brook Lopez is averaging just 5.2 rebounds per game, less than the 5.7 rebounds per game Payton, the Magic’s backup point guard, is averaging. It is hard to imagine that the Nets will hold the Magic to less than 100 points, thus the key is not letting them score to high above that number.
Players To Watch
Nets: Sean Kilpatrick (14+ points in 10 of his last 11 games)
Magic: Aaron Gordon (coming off of a career-high 33 points against the Clippers)
Mar 29, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Henry Sims (14) shoots over Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier (10) during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Projected Starters
Nets:
Magic:
Injuries
Nets
Magic
Key Matchup
Brook Lopez vs. Nikola Vucevic: Gotta go with the big men here. Vucevic is a very solid rebounder, while Lopez has excelled in the scoring department this season. It will be interesting to see how Vucevic defends against Lopez’s ability to shoot the three ball, and how Lopez responds to Vucevic’s strength in rebounding.
The game will be broadcast at 7:00 PM EST on YES. Join the conversation by tweeting @NetsBlogFS.
