ORLANDO, Fla. — After a defensive stand allowed the Nets to beat the Heat, their defense failed them against the Magic.
The Nets allowed Orlando to shoot 55.8 percent from the field — including 11-for-24 (45.8 percent) from 3-point range — as the Magic snapped Brooklyn’s three-game winning streak and emerged with a 115-111 victory in front of 16,085 inside Amway Center.
Arron Afflalo had 25 points to lead the Magic (23-55), including hitting a key 3-pointer with just over a minute remaining that put the game out of reach. Joe Johnson led the Nets (43-35) with 31 points — including 12 in the fourth as the Nets played without starters Paul Pierce (right hip pointer) and Shaun Livingston (sprained right big toe).
The Nets saw their slim hopes of catching the Raptors and winning the Atlantic Division slip away, as Toronto comfortably won at home against Philadelphia to see its magic number for clinching the division title drop to one. But, at the same time, the Nets saw their magic number to clinch the fifth seed drop to two when the Wizards lost at home to the Bobcats.
The Nets trailed 107-101 with two minutes left after Afflalo’s 3-pointer, but managed to cut the lead to one after three straight baskets by Johnson, the last a shot off the backboard with 31 seconds left that made it 108-107 Magic.
But Orlando responded with a beautiful backdoor cut for a layup by St. John’s product Maurice Harkless off a pass from Kyle O’Quinn to make it 110-107 with 24.6 seconds left. Johnson responded with another basket in the lane to cut the Magic lead back to 110-109 with 14.6 seconds left, leading to Jameer Nelson being fouled and making a pair of free throws to make it 112-109 with 13.6 remaining.
That gave the Nets one last chance to tie the game, but O’Quinn blocked Johnson’s 3-point attempt, and Afflalo made one of two free throws to seal the win for the Magic.