The Orlando Magic fizzled after a quick start and couldn't keep up with the Brooklyn Nets, suffering a 108-96 loss on Tuesday at ESPN Wide World of Sports' AdventHealth Arena.
Markelle Fultz played with assertion and finished with 18 points, while Wes Iwundu also scored 18 for Orlando (32-40). Nikola Vucevic had 12 points and 10 rebounds, while James Ennis and Khem Birch each had 10 points for the Magic, who have lost their past five games.
The Magic didn't help themselves with 17 turnovers and that in part was a reason why they finished with a season-low 12 assists.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Jeremiah Martin each finished with 24 points to lead the Nets (35-36).
Not long ago, the final matchup of the season between the Magic and the Nets looked like it would play a role in shaping the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
That possibility came and went on Sunday, when the Magic lost to the Celtics and the Nets beat the Clippers, giving Brooklyn the seventh seed and Orlando the eighth seed.
With the playoff positioning locked up, it took away some of the luster from Tuesday's meeting.
The lineups, for a variety of reasons, reflected how little was at stake.
The Magic played without Aaron Gordon (hamstring strain), Evan Fournier (non-COVID illness), Terrence Ross (quarantine) and Michael Carter-Williams (foot tendon strain).
The absence of Gordon, Ross and Fournier meant the Magic played without three of their top four scorers.
The Nets, meanwhile, were without starters Jarrett Allen (injury management, ankle), Joe Harris (injury management, groin), Caris LeVert (injury management, thigh) and Garrett Temple (rest).
Still, the Magic were hoping to use the game as a postseason primer. Coach Steve Clifford said before the game the goal was to win but he also wanted his team to use the contest as a way to prepare for the upcoming playoff series against the Bucks.
He likely wasn't encouraged by what he saw, especially in the first half.
Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 17 of his points in the first quarter as he nearly outscored the Magic (22 points) by himself.
The Magic trailed 60-43 at the break. They had more turnovers (9) than assists (7) and were outscored 13-4 on fast-break points and 24-18 on points in the paint.
Orlando also shot just 29.5% (13 of 44). At one point, the Nets had as many 3-point field goals as the Magic had total field goals (8).
With the shooting struggles and turnovers, the Magic struggled to put together any significant scoring runs. Their best efforts came when they scored the first six points of the game and later fired off a 9-0 burst in the third quarter.
The spurt got Orlando within 65-53 after an offensive rebound basket by Vucevic, but the Nets quickly responded. A driving uncontested layup by Johnson pushed the Nets' lead to 77-57 with 3:25 left in the quarter.
The Magic twice got within 11 but could get no closer the rest of the way.
Orlando will close out seeding play against the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday at 9 p.m. The game will air on Fox Sports Florida.
