Nets at Magic
The Brooklyn Nets have won 15 of their past 20 games and are brimming with confidence as they enter Friday's game against the host Orlando Magic. The Nets staged frantic comebacks in regulation and overtime Wednesday to record an improbable 145-142 road win over the powerful Houston Rockets.
Guard Spencer Dinwiddie scored 33 points against Houston, including three 3-pointers in the final 26.2 seconds of regulation and the go-ahead three-point play with 28 seconds left in overtime to cap the stunning effort. "We've got to do it as a group and that's what the guys did. Contributions from everybody," Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters of the triumph over the Rockets. "I don't want to have a parade or anything, but that's real big-time progress. ... These guys want more." Orlando has dropped 10 of its last 15 games after suffering a 120-115 overtime road loss against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. "We've got to be more locked in. We can't get too frustrated about it, but at some point, we've got to make a stand where we're locked in on defense every night," Magic power forward Aaron Gordon told reporters. "We have to know our coverages and where we need to be every time and we didn't do that (against Detroit)."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), FS Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE NETS (23-23): Brooklyn is attempting to go over .500 for the first time this season and has recovered nicely from an 8-18 start. Dinwiddie's fourth career 30-point effort wasn't the lone huge performance against the Rockets as 20-year-old center Jarrett Allen scored 20 points and collected a career-best 24 rebounds. "He's just growing before our eyes. (General manager) Sean Marks did a great job of getting that guy," veteran small forward DeMarre Carroll told reporters. "He's been growing every year, and he's going to keep getting better. The sky's the limit for the kid."
ABOUT THE MAGIC (19-25): Center Nikola Vucevic recorded his fifth double-double in eight games this month by producing 24 points and 13 rebounds in the loss against Detroit. Vucevic is averaging 20 points, 12.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists in January and is making a strong run at an All-Star berth with season averages of 20.2 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists along with 29 double-doubles. Swingman Terrence Ross buried a season-best six 3-pointers while scoring 24 points against the Pistons and is averaging 19.8 points over the last five contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Magic have won 16 of their past 21 home games against the Nets.
2. Brooklyn reserve F Jared Dudley (hamstring) was ruled out for the third consecutive contest.
3. Orlando rookie C Mo Bamba (ankle) is questionable and could miss his fifth straight game.