After playing the last three games with fire, the Nets finally burned out.
Despite a nervous moment, they found ways to erase victories in the three matches. But the hottest team in the NBA suddenly became icy cold in a 121-113 defeat to the Magic ahead of 3,665 at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.
Kyrie Irving scored 43 points, but they went to waste. The Nets (28-14) looked good, but just couldn’t let them down as their winning streak of six games in the NBA Series cracked and they fell half a game behind 76ers in the Eastern Conference.
While Nets shots would not fall, the struggling Magic (14-27) suddenly could not miss.
‘It just did not matter [what we did], ”Irving said. ‘I came in and shot a lay-up, they got free throws or a three-pointer was on the net, or there was some kind of game going on where we were looking at each other, we just had to give them a slap on the net butt and say good game.
‘They went into a back-to-back back very desperately, so we did not agree with their energy [it] happens like that. This is how it feels to lose. We do not want too much more like these feelings, so just learn from it and move forward. ”
Nets 103-84 in the fourth quarter, the Nets opened the period with a 16-1 run to draw within four points. But it’s as close as they came.
The Nets created openings, but finished just 10-for-37 from 3-point series. Meanwhile, the Magic – last in the field goal percentage coming in – went 21-for-40 from deep. Aaron Gordon, who finished with 38 points, ended up in a zone and the Nets could not take him out.
“Teams had to be perfect to beat us, and they just hit shots – hard shots,” Bruce Brown said. ‘I’ve never seen Aaron Gordon hit such a shot 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 their last 15, including an eight-team record on the road. But it came to an end.
James Harden scored 19 points and nine assists, while Joe Harris added 16. But after recording a marathon in Indiana on Wednesday, they looked exhausted.
Harden shot 4-for-15 overall and 2-for-8 from 3-point range. And Harris – who hit 50 percent from depth this season – was just 3-for-13, including a ball.
‘I think James and Joe felt tired. “They had a heavy load against Indiana, so I think the two must have felt a little tired in their legs,” said coach Steve Nash. “Sometimes you can play really really hard and be really active, but that doesn’t mean your legs will be there.”
The Nets fell behind the gate 25-18. They came up with seven unanswered meetings to put on even a Landry Shamet three-pointer, but the tie was short-lived. The Nets fell 48-36 right behind an Evan Fournier three-pointer with 7:09 left in the half.
Another 8-0 Nets run put them back within striking distance at 52-49, and they regained the lead again at 65-64 when Irving opened the second half with a try. But the words were short.
The Nets coughed up an extended run of 29-11 for the next eight minutes, with Nikola Vucevic’s free throw that was 93-76 with 3:51 in the third time.
“We could not buy a bucket,” Shamet said. “This is the NBA: if you dig a hole up to 20 early for someone, it’s going to be hard to get out again.”
The Nets tried. With 103-84 down to start the fourth, they start with an 11-0 run – including a beautiful knockdown from Harden to Nic Claxton.
Irving’s 15-foot pull-up got the Nets within 104-100. But they did not lose any more fuel, they fell behind by 11 and lost to a team that lost nine in a row.
‘I think 21 out of 40 out of three of them are outstanding. It was in many ways the story of the game, “said Nash. ‘If we were a little sharper to begin with, we might be able to reduce it. But maybe it was just one of those nights. ‘