Live Blogging Brooklyn Nets vs. Orlando Magic - Fri 7/31/2020

1st Quarter

Because of black-out rules, I have to watch a grey-market live stream of the game with the Orlando announcers. 😒
Both teams coming out of the gate on fire offensively.
Good signs from Jarret Allen, Rodions Kurucs. Rodi hitting from three and off of drives to the rim. Allen hasn’t missed yet.
Two threes from Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot for Brooklyn. He’d been playing poorly early on in the Bubble so this is a great sign.
Orlando is such a big team compared to the Nets. They have size everywhere, Brooklyn plays small ball for better and worse.
Tyler Johnson running the point for Brooklyn way more than I expected. He looks healthy and is quick and bouncy off the dribble again.
39-36 lead for Brooklyn after an electric first quarter, where neither team seemed to miss shots.

2nd Quarter

Orlando starting to use their size and athleticism to hurt the Nets in the paint. They take the lead by one, early in the 2nd.
Khem Birch, who I really don’t know, is lighting the Nets up for Orlando.
Chris Chiozza does a really good job running the offense for Brooklyn. Love this kid as a backup. He’s so smart and active.
Orlando has done a really good job keeping the Nets out of the paint this quarter.
LeVert hitting some of his crazy circus shots.
Magic tearing it up from deep.
Brooklyn’s going to lose this game if they don’t start making consistent stops on D.
There it is! Pretty LeVert shovel-pass to Jarrett Allen for the thunderous dunk. I’ve sure missed that.
Magic can’t miss… up by 11 now….
Orlando leads 70-59 at the half.

Third Quarter

Fournier is just roasting the Nets from deep.
Brooklyn doesn’t seem to have enough talent on their roster right now to hang with the Magic. It’s sad. We’ve been decimated.
Another tough shot by LeVert driving across the middle of the paint.
Vukovic and Fournier just slaughtering Brooklyn now….
In minor blessings, it looks like Lance Thomas has a pretty good shot. Looks a lot better than I expected.
Jarrett Allen started the game red hot, but he has been neutralized by the Orlando size since then.
The Magic may score 130 points today. Brooklyn just can’t slow them down.
Some things don’t change… LeVert still missing bunnies at the rim. I think he’s missed at least 4-5 of them today. Ugh.
Donta Hall coming in for the Nets and brings some quick energy and two buckets! He’s wearing the “Equality” name tag in his Nets debut.
Jonathan Isaac has been really active in this game for Orlando, especially around the glass.
Orlando just isn’t missing. They may hit 140 points, the way they’re playing right now. Make it stop.
Magic lead 111-82 (!) at the end of the 3rd.

Fourth Quarter

Another nice hook-up from LeVert to Allen for a thunder dunk. Not enough of these today….
The Magic have outscored the Nets by 11 points at the line so far.
TLC hits another smooth three for Brooklyn after a long quiet stretch.
Cool to see Brooklyn center Jarrett Allen wearing a “Sí se puede” nameplate on his jersey.
More buckets for Isaac and Luwawu-Cabarrot….
We have officially entered extensive “garbahge” time. Jacques Vaughan waves the white flag and empties the end of the Brooklyn bench.
Some nice moments for Brooklyn’s young bench guard Jeremiah Martin.
Nets Luwawu-Cabarrot suddenly en fuego. Too little too late, though. TLC is wearing “Liberté” on his name plate. Also cool.
Nets end-of-bench strongly outplaying the Magic end-of-bench…. They just went on a 16-0 run! It’s a garbahge-time miracle.
I kind of like the digital “fan wall” the NBA is doing at the games. A bit silly but fun.
Donta Hall giving Brooklyn some fun minutes, throwing his body around crashing the boards.
Moral victory: this bench run forced Orlando to put their starters back in.
Nets end the game on an 18-0 run to lose by “only” ten points, 128-118. Weird finish.
The Magic have now leapfrogged the Nets and sit in seventh place in the East. Brooklyn drops to eighth.