The Orlando Magic pulled off another stunning comeback Sunday night, erasing a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-101. Cole Anthony delivered the game-winning layup with 1.3 seconds left, sealing Orlando’s second massive rally in eight days after coming back from 25 down to stun Miami on Dec. 21.
Anthony scored 10 points, all in the second half, and jumpstarted the rally with a clutch 3-pointer as Orlando trailed by 20. Rookie Tristan da Silva carried much of the load in the fourth, scoring 13 of his 21 points during the comeback. Goga Bitadze added 19 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, providing stability inside.
The Nets looked poised for a road win behind Cam Thomas, who returned after missing 13 games with a strained hamstring. He scored 25 points off the bench, while Jalen Wilson added 16, including two free throws with 6.2 seconds left to briefly give Brooklyn the lead. Thomas, the Nets’ leading scorer at 24.7 per game, played 25 minutes but missed a contested corner jumper at the final horn.
The win gave Orlando a season-series sweep of Brooklyn and closed a 3-4 holiday homestand. All three victories came in dramatic fashion, with the Magic rallying from double-digit second-half deficits against Miami, Boston, and now Brooklyn.
For Brooklyn, the loss was their seventh in nine games and their first since trading Dorian Finney-Smith to the Lakers. The Nets hit 13 of 30 from deep but couldn’t hold on late.
