Bridges scores 42 points, 26 in first quarter, as Nets snap Magic's nine-game winning streak
NEW YORK (AP) Mikal Bridges scored 42 points, including 26 in the first quarter, and the Brooklyn Nets snapped the Orlando Magic’s nine-game winning streak with a 129-101 victory Saturday night.
The Magic were hoping for the first 10-game winning streak in franchise history but had little hope after Bridges outscored them by himself as the Nets ran out to a 43-22 lead after 12 minutes.
Bridges wanted to set the tone following a home loss to Charlotte on Thursday in which Brooklyn allowed 73 first-half points, including a Hornets franchise-record 42 in the second quarter.
"I was ready to play. Just didn’t like that loss against Charlotte … Just wanted to win the game,” he said.
It was the Magic’s first loss since Nov. 14, when the Nets beat them 124-104 in their previous trip to Barclays Center.
Bridges shot 12 for 20 from the field and 15 for 18 from the free throw line, falling three points shy of his career high. Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn sensed Bridges was ready for a good performance due the frustration they both harbored from the Hornets loss.
“I have always talked about one of the things that make him special is his will to win," Vaughn said, “and at the end of the day it takes a lot to get yourself ready to play and do the things necessary to win.”
Spencer Dinwiddie added 22 points, Cam Thomas had 20 and Dennis Smith Jr. finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who have won four of their last five games.
Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony each scored 20 points, while Paolo Banchero had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic.
“I think you can’t overlook it,” Banchero said of the winning streak ending. “I think it’s something to be proud of as a team and everyone in the locker room is. But we also understand that we have a chance to bounce back and we go on another streak.”
Brooklyn led by as many as 25 points in the first half, but the Magic trimmed the lead to single digits in the third quarter on a layup by Moritz Wagner that made it 89-80 with 2:37 left.
Dinwiddie answered by outscoring the Magic 9-5 to extend the Nets’ lead to 98-85 heading into the final quarter.
Bridges put Brooklyn back up by 20 with a three-point play that made it 114-94 with 4:24 left. He missed his next shot, a 3-pointer that would have tied his career high of 45 points, which he equaled in a loss at Atlanta on Nov. 22.
“Everybody wants to see him do his thing. Everybody wanted him to get 50 tonight,” Smith said.
Bridges had 34 points in the first half to help Brooklyn take a 73-51 lead at the break. The Nets shot 50% from the field and 8 for 18 beyond the 3-point line.
He was 8 for 11 in the first quarter. Bridges’ 26 points were the most in the opening period of an NBA game since the 2021-22 season, when Dallas’ Luka Doncic had 28 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Magic: Visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Nets: Visit the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
12:00 | Goga Bitadze vs. Nic Claxton (Spencer Dinwiddie gains possession) | |||
11:54 | Mikal Bridges misses two point driving layup | |||
11:51 | Goga Bitadze defensive rebound | |||
11:46 | Goga Bitadze misses two point driving layup | |||
11:44 | Spencer Dinwiddie defensive rebound | |||
11:35 | +3 | Mikal Bridges makes three point jump shot (Spencer Dinwiddie assists) | 0-3 | |
11:20 | Goga Bitadze misses two point alley-oop dunk | |||
11:17 | Nic Claxton defensive rebound | |||
11:10 | Cam Thomas misses two point driving floating jump shot | |||
11:06 | Anthony Black defensive rebound | |||
10:50 | Franz Wagner misses two point stepback jump shot | |||
10:45 | Cam Thomas defensive rebound | |||
10:31 | Franz Wagner blocks Mikal Bridges's two point driving layup | |||
10:30 | Goga Bitadze defensive rebound | |||
10:27 | +2 | Paolo Banchero makes two point running layup | 2-3 | |
10:27 | Cam Thomas shooting foul (Paolo Banchero draws the foul) | |||
10:27 | Paolo Banchero misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
10:25 | Cameron Johnson defensive rebound | |||
10:11 | +3 | Cameron Johnson makes three point jump shot (Cam Thomas assists) | 2-6 | |
9:45 | Jalen Suggs misses two point driving floating jump shot | |||
9:42 | Cam Thomas defensive rebound | |||
9:29 | +2 | Nic Claxton makes two point turnaround hook shot | 2-8 | |
9:09 | +2 | Franz Wagner makes two point driving hook shot (Jalen Suggs assists) | 4-8 | |
8:54 | Cam Thomas turnover (lost ball) | |||
8:54 | Cam Thomas personal foul (Loose ball) (Anthony Black draws the foul) | |||
8:44 | Paolo Banchero misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
8:42 | Cameron Johnson defensive rebound | |||
8:36 | Cam Thomas misses three point jump shot | |||
8:32 | Franz Wagner defensive rebound | |||
8:25 | +2 | Jalen Suggs makes two point driving layup (Franz Wagner assists) | 6-8 | |
8:08 | Spencer Dinwiddie turnover (bad pass) | |||
8:08 | Nic Claxton personal foul (Loose ball) (Jalen Suggs draws the foul) | |||
7:57 | +3 | Franz Wagner makes three point jump shot (Paolo Banchero assists) | 9-8 | |
7:40 | Anthony Black shooting foul (Cam Thomas draws the foul) | |||
7:40 | +1 | Cam Thomas makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 9-9 | |
7:40 | +1 | Cam Thomas makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 9-10 | |
7:25 | Jalen Suggs turnover (bad pass) (Mikal Bridges steals) | |||
7:13 | +2 | Mikal Bridges makes two point driving layup (Spencer Dinwiddie assists) | 9-12 | |
6:52 | Paolo Banchero misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
6:50 | Mikal Bridges defensive rebound | |||
6:42 | Mikal Bridges misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
6:39 | Magic defensive rebound | |||
6:39 | Nets 60 second timeout | |||
6:24 | Jalen Suggs turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | |||
6:12 | +2 | Mikal Bridges makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 9-14 | |
5:46 | Mikal Bridges blocks Paolo Banchero's two point turnaround jump shot | |||
5:43 | Spencer Dinwiddie defensive rebound | |||
5:40 | +3 | Mikal Bridges makes three point running jump shot (Cameron Johnson assists) | 9-17 | |
5:38 | Magic 60 second timeout | |||
5:31 | Mikal Bridges shooting foul (Paolo Banchero draws the foul) | |||
5:31 | +1 | Paolo Banchero makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-17 | |
5:31 | +1 | Paolo Banchero makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-17 | |
5:18 | +3 | Royce O'Neale makes three point pullup jump shot (Cameron Johnson assists) | 11-20 | |
5:01 | Gary Harris misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
4:56 | Joe Ingles offensive rebound | |||
4:48 | +3 | Jalen Suggs makes three point jump shot | 14-20 | |
4:32 | Mikal Bridges turnover (bad pass) (Paolo Banchero steals) | |||
4:20 | Nic Claxton blocks Gary Harris's two point driving layup | |||
4:20 | Magic offensive rebound | |||
4:11 | Jalen Suggs misses three point jump shot | |||
4:08 | Mikal Bridges defensive rebound | |||
4:03 | Jalen Suggs blocks Dennis Smith Jr.'s two point running layup | |||
4:00 | Dennis Smith Jr. offensive rebound | |||
4:00 | +2 | Dennis Smith Jr. makes two point putback layup | 14-22 | |
3:55 | Mikal Bridges personal foul (Joe Ingles draws the foul) | |||
3:55 | +1 | Joe Ingles makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 15-22 | |
3:55 | +1 | Joe Ingles makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 16-22 | |
3:47 | Gary Harris shooting foul (Mikal Bridges draws the foul) | |||
3:47 | +1 | Mikal Bridges makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 16-23 | |
3:47 | Mikal Bridges misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
3:44 | Paolo Banchero defensive rebound | |||
3:33 | Paolo Banchero misses two point turnaround hook shot | |||
3:32 | Nets defensive rebound | |||
3:27 | +3 | Mikal Bridges makes three point jump shot (Dennis Smith Jr. assists) | 16-26 | |
3:12 | Cole Anthony misses two point driving layup | |||
3:09 | Royce O'Neale defensive rebound | |||
3:05 | +3 | Spencer Dinwiddie makes three point running jump shot (Royce O'Neale assists) | 16-29 | |
2:50 | Gary Harris misses three point jump shot | |||
2:47 | Dennis Smith Jr. defensive rebound | |||
2:43 | +2 | Spencer Dinwiddie makes two point running layup (Dennis Smith Jr. assists) | 16-31 | |
2:43 | Magic 60 second timeout | |||
2:36 | Dennis Smith Jr. blocks Franz Wagner's two point driving layup | |||
2:36 | Magic offensive rebound | |||
2:28 | Joe Ingles misses two point driving layup | |||
2:25 | Dennis Smith Jr. defensive rebound | |||
2:19 | +2 | Mikal Bridges makes two point driving reverse layup (Dennis Smith Jr. assists) | 16-33 | |
2:02 | +2 | Gary Harris makes two point cutting dunk (Joe Ingles assists) | 18-33 | |
1:50 | Franz Wagner shooting foul (Mikal Bridges draws the foul) | |||
1:50 | +1 | Mikal Bridges makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-34 | |
1:50 | +1 | Mikal Bridges makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 18-35 | |
1:36 | +2 | Cole Anthony makes two point driving floating bank jump shot | 20-35 | |
1:24 | Spencer Dinwiddie misses two point stepback jump shot | |||
1:22 | Nets offensive rebound | |||
1:17 | +2 | Mikal Bridges makes two point cutting layup (Day'Ron Sharpe assists) | 20-37 | |
1:06 | Franz Wagner misses two point driving layup | |||
1:04 | Dennis Smith Jr. defensive rebound | |||
1:04 | Jamahl Mosley technical foul | |||
1:04 | +1 | Mikal Bridges makes technical free throw 1 of 1 | 20-38 | |
0:59 | Franz Wagner personal foul (Away from play) (Mikal Bridges draws the foul) | |||
0:59 | +1 | Mikal Bridges makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 20-39 | |
0:54 | Moritz Wagner shooting foul (Mikal Bridges draws the foul) | |||
0:54 | +1 | Mikal Bridges makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-40 | |
0:54 | +1 | Mikal Bridges makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-41 | |
0:36 | Franz Wagner misses two point alley-oop dunk | |||
0:34 | Day'Ron Sharpe defensive rebound | |||
0:30 | Spencer Dinwiddie misses three point running pullup jump shot | |||
0:27 | Joe Ingles defensive rebound | |||
0:11 | Spencer Dinwiddie shooting foul (Franz Wagner draws the foul) | |||
0:11 | +1 | Franz Wagner makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-41 | |
0:11 | +1 | Franz Wagner makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 22-41 | |
0:01 | +2 | Mikal Bridges makes two point driving reverse layup (Royce O'Neale assists) | 22-43 | |
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
11:44 | +2 | Franz Wagner makes two point driving reverse layup | 24-43 | |
11:20 | Cam Thomas misses two point stepback jump shot | |||
11:17 | Cole Anthony defensive rebound | |||
11:12 | Cole Anthony misses two point running pullup jump shot | |||
11:10 | Dennis Smith Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:58 | Dennis Smith Jr. misses three point stepback jump shot | |||
10:55 | Trendon Watford offensive rebound | |||
10:53 | +2 | Dennis Smith Jr. makes two point driving finger roll layup (Trendon Watford assists) | 24-45 | |
10:32 | Franz Wagner misses two point driving bank hook shot | |||
10:29 | Dennis Smith Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:22 | Cam Thomas misses three poi |