Brooklyn Nets 94, Orlando Magic 90: Three Takeaways
The Orlando Magic remained winless at Summer League as their team continues to struggle with its shot despite energetic efforts.
Orlando Magic Summer League coach Ameer Bahhur said he wants his team to be known as the most resilient and relentless team in the Summer League.
Those are two traits that are essential to the way the Magic play anyway. If they are going to bring players in, especially their young players, they want this style to be essential to what they do.
The Magic struggled once again offensively. Their Summer League roster lacks many knock-down shooters, especially after the Magic opted to sit Jase Richardson and Tristan da Silva for a second game (and like for a third Friday). Summer League is a weird creature, and the Magic are not a dominant offensive team with the group they brought to Las Vegas.
Orlando was fighting, but struggling with fouls, and let the Brooklyn Nets get out to a 23-point lead in the third quarter. The Magic did not have the horses to finish the job.
But this team has succeeded in one area, even if the wins have not followed. They do not give up. And Summer League can be wild.
The Magic finally got stops and defended without fouling. They finally started hitting some threes to build some momentum. They found a lineup that was working and pushed their way back into the game.
Orlando went from 23 down to down one in the fourth quarter. They made this a game. But three triples from Egor Demin, a noted non-shooter at BYU as his big demerit in the draft process, to pull away for a 94-90 win.