Magic Win Tug of War, Sweep Weekend with Nets for 6th Straight Victory

The Orlando Magic's 12th win in 13 games — 100-92 over the Nets — completed a two-game weekend sweep in Brooklyn.

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) drives to the basket while being defended by Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) and Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) during the first half at Barclays Center. / John Jones-Imagn Images

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Ahead of the second meeting of the weekend with the Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley's message to his players was clear: Focus on this game first.

The Magic can win their NBA Cup group by beating the New York Knicks on Tuesday, but the task at hand was beating the Nets a second time, in their building, in less than 48 hours.

Orlando controlled Friday's game from start to finish, but Sunday afternoon's tug-of-war featured 16 ties and 20 lead changes – just the kind of struggle the Magic's defense usually wins.

Orlando defeated Brooklyn 100-92, the sixth straight victory for the Magic, who improved to 15-7 while winning 12 of their last 13 games.

This contest lacked for aesthetics. A combined 60 personal fouls and 12 team fouls were called and the two teams attempted 63 free throws. Combined, the Magic and Nets committed 39 turnovers.

A smile creased over Mosley's face as he described the end-of-game sequence: "Rough."

"But," Mosley said, "with it being as rough as it was, with there not being a real rhythm to the game, the poise that these guys showed was just the mark of a team that continues to grow. To be able to withstand whatever was happening throughout the game and not lose our heads, to keep our cool for the most part, keep our poise – says a lot about a team that understands what we're trying to accomplish."

Mosley said that maturity carried Orlando through bouts of foul trouble and given-away possessions.

But as the Magic have shown multiple times this season, they're capable of winning the ugly ones.

"[This] was one of those games where you really have to dig deep and lock in," center Goga Bitadze said. "It was a messy game, but we're built different. We know what we're capable of — what we can do — and we did it."

The Magic defense totaled 10 steals and 11 blocks after 13 steals and 13 blocks on Friday — the second time in franchise history that the Magic totaled double figures in those statistics in consecutive games. Brooklyn shot 38 percent from the field and scored only 42 points in the second half.

"That's our identity," big man Wendell Carter Jr. said. "We said that to each other going into training camp: That's one side of the ball that we can control. All that is is effort and communication. ... The offense will come. We're all NBA players for a reason, we're all talented. We're gonna have our hot nights and our off nights, but defense is something that we can hang our hat on, and it travels.

"Every arena you go to, you may not like the rims, you may not like whatever the case may be. Defensively, you can control that every game. ... Whatever happens on the offensive end happens."

Franz Wagner had a dreadful night shooting the basketball (4-for-17, 0-for-6 on threes), but the fourth-year forward's 20 points (12 of 14 free throws) still led the Magic. He added nine rebounds and eight assists – still seeking his first career triple-double.

The four other starters also reached double figures – Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (16), Wendell Carter Jr. (14, 5-5 FG), Jalen Suggs (12) and Bitadze (12). Moe Wagner added 12 off the bench.

After 18 games with no more than two made three-pointers in a single outing, Caldwell-Pope has now strung together three straight games of four or more triples. Bitadze added 13 rebounds, three steals and two blocks — his team-leading sixth double-double.

Up Next

The Magic meet the Knicks in an NBA Cup East Group A decider Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Tipoff is 7:30 p.m. ET.

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