The Magic offered one last late Christmas present to their audience at the Kia Center. On the edge of the precipice in the third quarter and decimated by injuries, Orlando managed to pull off an unexpected 102-101 success on Sunday against the Nets. Brooklyn led for more than 40 minutes before completely collapsing in money time.
The start of the meeting takes place almost exclusively under the circles. Before the arrival of D'Angelo Russell at post 1, Ben Simmons was very aggressive at the start of the match. Wendell Carter Jr and Goga Bitadze concentrate the Magic's attacks (12 of Orlando's first 16 points) but have the spotlight stolen by Cam Thomas. Coming off the bench after 13 games of absence, the guard released one of the most improbable shots of this start of the season, a 3-point shot on one leg and stepping back on a ball that seemed lost to score on the possession clock.
Suggs joins Banchero and the Wagners in the infirmary
The Magic, for their part, are paying for their absences in the lead, with two quick fouls for Jalen Suggs and no rotation available at position 1 following the last minute withdrawal of Anthony Black. The distribution gaps are obvious (11 balls lost at the break) and things go from bad to worse since Suggs has wrist problems and remains on the floor… playing almost only with his left hand, his weak hand. ! He ends up making a third premature mistake, never to return for the rest of the evening. Cam Thomas, for his part, continues his festival despite limited playing time. From afar or in the air off the screen, the Nets succeed in almost everything they do. And they logically return to the locker room with an already significant gap, 43-61.
Without Suggs, the task promises to be more than difficult for Orlando, frustrated by the events and the whistles to the point of being 21 lengths behind. The entry into play of Cole Anthony, who had not played a second in the first period, brought a spark to the Florida game. Brooklyn slips offensively and the Magic goes 13-0 to restart the match (63-71, 33′). Thomas put out the six-point fire for the first time on his own in the last minute of the third quarter. The Nets still lead by 15 units but lose Cam Johnson, in turn on the flank until the end of the game.
34-18 in the last quarter
Jamahl Mosley's men do not give up and find in Tristan Da Silva a replacement leader. The rookie scored 13 points in the last act and carried his own at arm's length when those of the Nets began to tremble. Like Thomas' 1/7 in the last act, Brooklyn missed out and only scored with four shots from Jalen Wilson in the last seven minutes. The opportunity was too good: Caleb Houstan equalized from a distance with 49″3 remaining, Bitadze gave a quick advantage which was quickly erased by Wilson, 100-101 with 6.2 seconds remaining. And it's Cole Anthony who takes charge of being the hero, with a saving lay-up 1.3 seconds from the final buzzer.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– This Magic has a huge heart. Without its four best scorers (Banchero, the Wagner brothers and Suggs), and with a lead that could not be lighter, Orlando knew how to take action at the right time to reverse a more than compromised situation. As against the Heat a week earlier, Cole Anthony was decisive in an XXL heist. And what about rookie Tristan Da Silva, big boss at the end of the match and author of 21 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.
– Brooklyn ruined everything. The Nets do not have victory as their imperative. But they may regret having so missed their end of the game, where only Jalen Wilson was capable of scoring. Magnificent until then, Cam Thomas (25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists in… 25 minutes) no longer weighed.
