Magic at Nets
The Brooklyn Nets look to rebound from two ugly losses and give themselves a chance at a playoff berth when they host the Orlando Magic on Wednesday in the regular-season finale. The Nets, who were routed by a combined 50 points against Milwaukee and Chicago in their last two outings, need a victory and loss by Indiana against Memphis on Wednesday to grab the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.
Brooklyn had won 10 of 12 games to move into playoff position earlier this month, but has cooled off while dropping four of the last six – giving up an average of 105 points in the process. Brook Lopez has been the most productive player for the Nets down the stretch, averaging 21 points in April, and he will have a difficult matchup with Orlando leading scorer Nikola Vucevic in the interior. Vucevic scored 27 in his last trip to Brooklyn in November, but is only 13-of-39 in the last three games. The Magic have lost three straight games after winning three in a row.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), YES2 (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (25-56): Consistency has been the main problem for Orlando, which has recorded only two more wins than last season despite showing some real progress at times. Vucevic is averaging 19.2 points and 10.9 rebounds while Victor Oladipo contributes 17.9 points – 23.3 the last four – and Tobias Harris adds 17.1 per contest. Point guard Elfrid Payton and forward Aaron Gordon – two top 10 picks from the 2014 draft – provide optimism for the future to go along with the Magic’s big three scorers.
ABOUT THE NETS (37-44): Lopez has registered at least 26 points in nine of his last 15 games and averages 17.2 points and a team-best 7.4 rebounds on the season. Joe Johnson (14.4 points), Thaddeus Young (13.7) and Deron Williams (13 per game) all need to rebound from struggles over the last few games. Johnson averaged 9.3 points the last three contests, Young made only 7-of-25 shots in the past two and Williams is just 7-of-35 from the field in a three-game span as the Nets scored 159 combined the last two.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nets are undefeated against three teams at their home arena Barclays Center, including the Magic (5-0).
2. Orlando G Evan Fournier (hip), the team’s fourth-leading scorer (12 per game), is not expected to play Wednesday.
3. Williams needs four made 3-pointers to become the 77th player in NBA history with 1,000 in their career.