No Kyrie, no KD, no problem! Brooklyn Nets secure crucial NBA playoff spot with win over the Orlando Magic… and send Miami Heat to the Play-In Tournament
The Brooklyn Nets are advancing to the NBA Playoffs as the No. 6 seed after beating the Orlando Magic 101-84 to face the Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament.
Mikal Bridges shone at the Barclays Center with 22 points as the new Nets star player proved once again that Brooklyn can do without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
The Nets will face the No. 3 seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs next weekend. Philadelphia defeated the Nets in five games in the opening round of the 2019 postseason shortly before Durant and Irving arrived in Brooklyn.
The Nets (45-36) clinched their fifth straight postseason finish by winning for the sixth time in eight games to surpass last season’s win total.
Orlando (34-47), in contention for a play-in spot last month after a 5-20 start, played his second game since being eliminated on Tuesday. The Magic sat rookie Paolo Banchero (tight back), Wendell Carter Jr. (painful left hip) and Mortiz Wagner (sprained right ankle)
Mikal Bridges shoots his way to 22 points for the NBA playoff-bound Brooklyn Nets
Nic Claxton (left) and Bridges (right) defending against Admiral Schofield in the first half
Ben Simmons is watching – he’s an ex-76er but isn’t fit to play against his old team next week
Bridges shot 7-for-24 from the field and missed 11 of 12 three-point attempts for the Nets, who shot 39.3 percent from the floor and 21.4 percent (9-of-42) on three-point attempts. Cam Johnson added 18, Nic Claxton collected 14 points and 15 rebounds, Seth Curry contributed 13 points and Spencer Dinwiddie dished out 14 of Brooklyn’s 27 assists.
Cole Anthony led the Magic with 14 points. Franz Wagner and Goga Bitadze each added 12 for Orlando, who shot 35.6 percent from the floor and 18.4 percent (7 of 38) from outside the arc.
Brooklyn took control, beating Orlando 31-16 in the second quarter to convert a four-point lead into a 58-39 lead going into halftime. The Nets had a 73-49 lead on a basket from Johnson with 5:05 left in the third, but were outscored 13-5 the rest of the period to take a 78-62 lead in the fourth.
Orlando was inside 85–75 on a 3-pointer from Admiral Schofield with 7:42 left, while the Nets went between the baskets for just over six minutes before Johnson dove with 4:41 left.
The Nets officially clinched their playoff berth on a timeout after Johnson’s dunk as the Washington Wizards pulled off a 114-108 victory over the Miami Heat.