Mikal Bridges scored 26 of his 42 points in the first quarter and the Brooklyn Nets ended the Orlando Magic’s nine-game winning streak with a 129-101 victory in New York on Saturday night.
The Magic missed a chance at their first 10-game winning streak in franchise history because of any defender’s inability to stop Bridges, especially in the opening 12 minutes.
Bridges produced the highest-scoring opening quarter since Luka Doncic scored 28 for Dallas on Feb. 10, 2022. It was the third-highest quarter in team history behind D’Angelo Russell (27 points 2019) and Joe Johnson (29 points 2013). Bridges also had 34 points by halftime, marking the highest scoring half in the NBA this season.
Bridges was held to one point in Brooklyn’s shaky third quarter when the Nets were outscored 34-25 and let their lead slip to nine on two occasions.
Bridges finished 12 of 20 from the field and also hit 15 free throws in his fifth-career 40-point game.
Spencer Dinwiddie added 22 and scored Brooklyn’s final 11 points of the third as the Nets took a 98-85 lead into the fourth. Bridges reached 40 points by finishing off a three-point play with 5:22 left that upped Brooklyn’s lead to 114-94.
Cam Thomas added 20 for the Nets, who shot 50.5 percent and hit 14 3s. Cameron Johnson added 14 while Dennis Smith Jr. contributed 10 and 11 rebounds to help the Nets to a 57-36 rebounding edge.
Bridges scored 10 of Brooklyn’s first 17 points and his open corner 3 put the Nets up 17-9 with about 5 1/2 minutes left. He capped his big quarter by scoring Brooklyn’s final 12 points as the Nets raced out to a 43-22 lead. Bridges surpassed 30 points by converting a three-point play with 2:07 left to make it 70-45 and the Nets built a 73-51 lead by halftime.
Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony scored 20 apiece to lead Orlando, which had not lost since Nov. 14 in Brooklyn. Paolo Banchero added 19 as the Magic shot 40.2 percent from the floor.
–Field Level Media
Pascal Siakam scored 21 points and Myles Turner and Obi Toppin each added 20, lifting the Indiana Pacers to a 129-109 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of…
The Golden State Warriors will attempt to win without Stephen Curry for the first time this postseason and even their Western Conference second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves when…
The Boston Celtics insisted they weren’t concerned by dropping the first two games of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Knicks. They stuck to the story despite…
Warriors need to prove they can beat Timberwolves without Stephen Curry
Celtics’ confidence remains high as they prepare for Game 4 with Knicks
Thunder rally in 4th, knot series with Nuggets at 2-2
Lynx F/C Dorka Juhasz to sit out season
Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM
