In an unlikely turn of events on Friday, the reeling Orlando Magic broke the Brooklyn Nets' six-game winning street. Orlando, who also ended their own nine-game slide with the victory, was aided by the efficient 38 points scored by forward Aaron Gordon.
Gordon, not well-known for his shooting as career 32.2 percent shooter from three, was on fire throughout and went 14-of-20 from the field and made a near perfect 7 -of-8 triples.
The apparent irony of Gordon's performance was seemingly not lost on the Nets, particularly from forward Bruce Brown:
“Teams got to be perfect to beat us and they were just hitting shots – tough shots. I've never seen Aaron Gordon hit shots like that in my life. So just a tough night,” Brown said of the Magic forward, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
To Bruce Brown's credit, Aaron Gordon had an uncharacteristically efficient scoring night, as he has averaged just under 13.7 points per game before Friday's showdown against the Nets.
Gordon wasn't alone, however. Orlando's starting shooting guard Evan Fournier continued to prove himself as one of the league's most underrated scorers, torching Brooklyn for 31 points of his own on 10-of-13 shooting (6-of-8 from three). Two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic also pitched in his due share, stuffing the stat sheet with 22 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.
The Nets, who are jostling with the Philadelphia 76ers for the top seed in the Eastern Conference, have struggled both inside and out on defense. Over the course of their six-game surge, they managed to relatively hold their opponents in check defensively, allowing their historically great offense to bludgeon opposing defenses into submission.
Not so here. The Magic are 13 games below .500, and this loss eerily echoes the Nets' early season struggles, both defensively and waking up for apparently inferior competition.
As the favorites to win the NBA championship this year, the loss will ultimately mean little for the Nets' record. However, if taken well, this will be a nice wake-up call for rookie head coach Steve Nash and Co. as they gear up for a deep playoff run.
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