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James Harden had a successful debut for the Brooklyn Nets as they defeated the Orlando Magic 122-115 in a much-anticipated match. The Magic didn’t make it easy on the Nets, however, as they led on several occasions and fought to the last minute to regain their advantage.
But the Nets just had too many offensive weapons that put the Magic out of commission despite their best efforts.
Here are our 5 hits and flops from the Orlando Magic vs Brooklyn Nets game:
Hit: James Harden (Brooklyn Nets)
As NBA debuts go, this one was one of the best. James Harden had a triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists. Not only that, he had four steals, and one block as well, a portent of things to come for the Brooklyn Nets.
Despite the numbers, James Harden was tentative at times to take over the offense, shooting just 8-of-18 from the field and 3-of-10 from the arc. But his playmaking on the floor was what set him apart, drawing defenses and kicking out to wide-open teammates.
His command of the flow of the offense showed the Brooklyn Nets what they’ve been missing as James Harden demonstrated to his teammates his stellar playmaking skills.
Flop: Aaron Gordon (Orlando Magic)
This season hasn’t been one of Aaron Gordon’s best from a personal statistical standpoint and it showed in this game why that’s so. Gordon was quite passive and was a facilitator for stretches as he dished out six assists for the game.
But he only had 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the floor. His six rebounds didn’t make much of an impact as well. If Gordon had been more aggressive and had a 20-point outing, the outcome of the game would’ve been much different.
Hit: Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
Inasmuch as the spotlight was on James Harden for much of the night, Kevin Durant nearly stole the show with a 42-point explosion on a sizzling hot 16-of-26 shooting from the field. His five 3-point shots on eight attempts came during key moments, keeping the game within striking distance when they were behind and quelling rallies from the Orlando Magic when they tried to mount comebacks.
Durant’s floor game was beautiful to watch, handing out five assists, and leaving his opponents guessing as to what he would do next. If James Harden wasn’t around, it’s likely that Durant would have had a 50-point game.
Flop: DeAndre Jordan (Brooklyn Nets)
In his 23 minutes on the floor, DeAndre Jordan was only able to muster two points and five rebounds to go along with three assists, a steal, and a block.
As a defender, Jordan is a shell of his former self but with Jarrett Allen gone after the James Harden trade, he has to step up. He didn’t in this game but if the Nets are to continue building on tonight’s success, Jordan has to be more active on the boards and in contesting shots.
Hit: Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic)
Nikola Vucevic is scoring at a career-high clip and he exceeded that in this game. Vucevic had a season-high 34 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and five steals, showing his versatility and his value to Orlando. He shot 6-of-12 from 3-point range and 14-of-22 overall.
During the second and third quarters with the Magic in the lead, Vucevic would step into a three and calmly knock down the shot to prevent the Nets from getting too close. If not for a late-game breakdown, the Orlando Magic could have easily won this and overshadowed James Harden's Nets' debut.
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