Williams leads Nets in rout of Magic

Brooklyn, NY – For the first time during the P.J. Carlesimo interim head coaching tenure, the Brooklyn Nets faced some adversity.

But a return home was exactly what Brooklyn needed.

Deron Williams had 20 points and nine assists in the Nets' 97-77 rout of the Orlando Magic.

Brooklyn had lost back-to-back road tilts after winning 12 of its first 14 under Carlesimo since firing Avery Johnson in late December.

Brook Lopez added 16 points in the victory.

Nikola Vucevic tallied 18 points and nine rebounds for Orlando, which has dropped six straight.

"We played a lot harder, and more aggressively in the second half," said Magic guard Jameer Nelson. "In the first half I don't think we were tuned into what we were supposed to do."

The Nets led 70-63 after three, but the cushion quickly grew as Brooklyn began the final period on a 23-4 run. Keith Bogans knocked down three 3-pointers during the surge as the hosts took a commanding 93-67 advantage with 4:04 left.

"In the third quarter we weren't playing as a team, we were playing individually, and we're not the best when we're doing that," Williams said. "But in the fourth quarter we were moving the ball and getting wide open shots. That's the way we have to play."

Earlier, Brooklyn ended the opening frame on a 10-2 swing and took a 30-20 edge after a quarter of play. Gerald Wallace and Williams hit jumpers before Williams and Bogans ended the stanza with back-to-back 3-pointers.

The margin swelled as high as 18 in the second before the Nets took a 56-40 advantage into the break.

Game Notes

Joe Johnson finished with 13 points and five assists for Brooklyn ... The Nets were 13-of-29 from beyond the arc ... Maurice Harkless scored 16 points, while Glen Davis poured in 15 for the Magic.