Nets vs Magic Recap: Holding Our Ground

It wasn't the prettiest win, but it was a win nonetheless. The start of the game began with a sluggish Nets start, but they eventually went on to continue where they left off last game against the Magic. The offense lit up and the defense held its ground as the Nets pulled an 18 points first quarter lead in front of a near sellout crowd.

After that, the offense began to simmer, not reaching 20 points in each of the next three quarters. At one point the Nets lead by 20, but at the half the lead was down to 15 due to small spurts of offense from the Magic. At the end of three, the lead shrunk to ten, and by that point Nets fans were fearing another collapse similar to the one against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The renowned offense just could not get a bucket.

At one point in the fourth quarter, the Nets were leading by only five points, but Deron Williams pulled up big with jumper to end the Magic mini 8-3 run near the end of the game. The ending was nerve-wrecking to say the least, but a Humphries swat off a missed defensive assignment sealed the game. After demolishing the Magic in the previous game, the Nets had to grind this one out for a win to avoid yet another embarrassing home loss.

Kris Humphries was the man of the game, with a solid 14 points and 21 (!!) rebounds, six of them being offensive. Brook Lopez was the leading scorer with 20 points but grabbed a mere 3 boards. But if Humphries was getting all of them, it shouldn't be a problem for Lopez to get less. The Nets did out-rebound the Magic 55-41 anyway.

Deron Williams had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in a solid performance and turned it over three times. Joe Johnson 13 points on a pathetic 3-13 from the field. He's been a major disappoint this season, but being given a new role, he'll need time to adjust. Still, seeing 3-13 stings.

The offense this game was off after the first quarter. The team that is supposed to up there in offensive prowess, was quelled by the Orlando Magic for the last three quarters after going off for the previous five. The defense however, was solid, holding the Magic to 36% from the field and only 74 points in this game.

Final result: 82-74 Nets
Disappointing stat of the game: 37% shooting from the field, and 29% from beyond the arc
Promising stat of the game: The defense held the Magic to two consecutive games of under 75 points, the first time the team's held a team to under 75 points in back to back games since 2006
Scary Moment of the Game: Lead was cut down to 5 with less than half a quarter left in the game
Best moment of the Game: CJ Watson scored 6 points in less than two seconds

Box Score - ESPN.com

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