Magic takes advantage of decimated Nets

NEW YORK (AP) – Robin Lopez had 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Orlando Magic beat a decimated Brooklyn Nets 100-93 on Saturday to end a seven-game losing streak.

Gary Harris added 17 points, Chuma Okeke added 15 and Franz Wagner 14 to help the Magic improve to 6-25.

“Many guys offered us great minutes,” said López.

Patty Mills led the Nets with 23 points. David Duke Jr. had 18 points and 14 boards, Blake Griffin added 17 points and Cam Thomas scored 15. Eastern Conference leaders Brooklyn fell to 21-9.

The Nets had won four in a row.

“I told the guys that I was really proud of their effort,” said Nets coach Steve Nash. “A lot of our guys played a lot of minutes in various games for the first time. So overall, I’m really proud of them and their hard work. “

Brooklyn kicked off the game with 10 players on the COVID-19 list, after Kyrie Irving, the star who just returned to training, and Kevin Durant, the MVP candidate, entered sanitation protocols on Saturday.

An hour before the game, the Nets announced that rookie forward Day’Ron Sharpe would be joining the protocols, as well as De’Andre Bembry, Bruce Brown, Jevon Carter, LaMarcus Aldridge, James, Johnson, Paul Millsap and James Harden.

“It’s just crazy,” Griffin commented.

The Nets signed James Ennis III and Shaquille Harrison before the game.

Citing the Elias Sports Bureau, Brooklin reported that this was the first time since April 15, 2009 that a team featured a starting lineup with three rookies. Thomas and Kessler Edwards made their first start in the NBA.

Duke had his third career game as a starter. Those appearances correspond precisely to the three most recent games.