Magic’s chance to make 2nd seed dashed
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 13, 2009 00:00
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey - The New Jersey Nets doused Orlando's hopes of claiming the second seed in the National Basketball Association Eastern Conference playoffs with a 103-93 victory over the Magic Saturday.
Vince Carter scored 27 points with nine assists and Keyon Dooling added 12 points and 10 assists for the Nets, who were already eliminated from playoff contention. The Magic may have lost more than the second seed in the defeat. Star forward Hedo Türkoğlu hurt his left ankle with just under seven minutes to play and had to be helped to the locker room.
Türkoğlu had 16 points before being hurt. Tony Battie and Mickael Pietrus added 14 points each, while Dwight Howard scored just seven points with eight rebounds as the Magic lost their second straight game.
"It was terrible," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We're playing with no energy and lack of defensive commitment. When you do that you're going to get killed and we got dominated tonight."
The Magic came into the contest needing to win their last three games - and have Boston lose their last three - to claim the second seed behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"I don't know what to call this," Howard said of the lackluster performance from the team that will now be seeded third in the East. "I just know we have to get out of it soon."
Orlando kept the game close for the first quarter, but the Nets led by 10 at halftime and stretched the lead to 15 in the third as Carter made back-to-back three-pointers for a 73-58 lead.
Türkoğlu had 16 points before being hurt. Tony Battie and Mickael Pietrus added 14 points each, while Dwight Howard scored just seven points with eight rebounds as the Magic lost their second straight game.
"It was terrible," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We're playing with no energy and lack of defensive commitment. When you do that you're going to get killed and we got dominated tonight."
The Magic came into the contest needing to win their last three games - and have Boston lose their last three - to claim the second seed behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"I don't know what to call this," Howard said of the lackluster performance from the team that will now be seeded third in the East. "I just know we have to get out of it soon."
Orlando kept the game close for the first quarter, but the Nets led by 10 at halftime and stretched the lead to 15 in the third as Carter made back-to-back three-pointers for a 73-58 lead.