The Nets and Magic battled it out at the Barclays Center. The duo had a matchup on November 14, which ended with Brooklyn taking home the victory. Since then, Orlando has averaged 121 points per game. But Nets’ Mikal Bridges thrived in this match, scoring 42 points.

The Empire State had their three-game winning streak cut by the visiting Charlotte Hornets. So, it was quite obvious that they were looking to get that back. And they did, finishing tonight with a 129-101 win over the Magic. Here are the three key takeaways from tonight!

1. Mikal Bridges takes it personal

Bridges looked like he was getting ready to break all records when he racked up 26 points in the first quarter alone. Finishing just three points shy of his personal high, Mikal led the scoreboard with 42 points. The Magic was looking to extend their winning streak to 10 – a first in the franchise history.

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But Bridges was determined to not let any defender stop his brutal attacks. His first-quarter score became the highest since Luka Doncic scored an opening-high 28 points in 2022. If it wasn’t apparent that it was going to be really hard to catch the 27-year-old Philly native, his halftime 34 points were too big to be ignored.

2. Spencer Dinwiddie stepped up after his off-night vs Charlotte

The Nets vs Hornets game was supposed to be a breeze. Especially in the absence of their key pieces, LaMelo Ball and rookie Brandon Miller. Yet the game was anything but. Riding on a three-game winning streak, Brooklyn hoped to take a textbook win home easily.

Aside from a few noteworthy moments, many players struggled to play to their full strength. And Spencer Dinwiddie was at the top of the list. Despite playing for 34 minutes, Dinwiddie managed to score just nine points, eight assists, and four rebounds.

With tonight’s performance, he subdued any concerns or doubts with 22 points in 35 minutes of game time. Dinwiddie is averaging 14.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game this season while holding a 56.6 TS percentage. That’s higher than average.

3. The Magic miss their center Wendell Carter Jr.

When Wendell Carter Jr. was knocked off-balance mid-air and fell, the 24-year-old center knew he would miss a little too many games. It’s been a month since his metacarpal surgery, and there is still no definite timeline for his return. In his absence, Goga Bitadze, the Georgian big man has taken the responsibility quite seriously.

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Averaging 6.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this season, the 6’10 center has proven his defensive acumen in the past games. But tonight’s game was not his best night. The Nets out-rebounded the Magic by 22 points. Claxton, Johnson, and Smith Jr. were wreaking havoc on the floor.

Scoring three points and five rebounds in 15 minutes of game time, Bitadze couldn’t keep up with the trio. This led Paolo Banchero to step up and grab every rebound he could. So while Goga had a bad night, Banchero is second in tonight’s scoring with a double-double (19 points, 10 rebounds).

The whole situation looks poetic. The Magic lost to the Nets before they started their nine-game winning streak. And now, the same streak was snapped by the very same team. Maybe this is the start of their next phase of wins?

Will Mikal Bridges be able to continue his onslaught when the Nets visit the Hawks on the 6th? And can Orlando square off against a determined Cavaliers next?

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