Orlando @ Brooklyn preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 24, 2017 ) Brooklyn 121, Orlando 125

The Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets put together a pair of fast-paced, high-scoring affairs during the first week of the season as they both burst out of the gate with winning records. The teams begin 2018 with a meeting in Brooklyn on Monday under very different circumstances, fighting to keep themselves out of the basement in the Eastern Conference.

The Nets claimed the first meeting on Oct. 20 at home with a 126-121 triumph, only to fall at Orlando four days later 125-121, part of the Magic's 8-4 start. However, they've dropped 21 of 25 games since that hot start - including Saturday's 117-111 home loss to Miami in which they squandered an 18-point lead. "This hurts," Orlando coach Frank Vogel told reporters after the setback. "Our guys played their hearts out, played with great effort. I felt like they deserved to win, but you've got to get stops down the stretch, and we weren't able to do that." The Nets have lost eight of 10 after suffering a 108-105 setback at Boston on Sunday.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), YES (Brooklyn)

ABOUT THE MAGIC (12-25): Although wins remain hard to come by, Orlando finally may be getting Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier going at the same time after injuries hindered the high-scoring forwards. Gordon scored 39 points on 14-of-22 shooting against the Heat while Fournier contributed 23 on 9-of-17, their best totals since coming back from calf and ankle injuries, respectively. Center Bismack Biyombo has recorded two straight double-doubles and is averaging 11.7 rebounds over the course of three straight starts since Nikola Vucevic was lost to a broken hand.

ABOUT THE NETS (13-23): Rondae Hollis-Jefferson continues to carry Brooklyn through its rocky stretch, scoring 22 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in Saturday's loss while helping make a tight game of what looked like a blowout early on. "We stayed poised to make a comeback," Hollis-Jefferson told reporters. "That's basketball. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn't. But for us, now we're definitely competing. It starts with the starting unit, we've got to come out that way. And I feel like the effort's there." The Arizona product is averaging 17.2 points and 8.2 rebounds over his last five games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Orlando has lost six straight on the road.

2. Nets SF DeMarre Carroll is 1-for-12 from 3-point range over his last four games.

3. Gordon has made 7-of-13 3-pointers since returning from his calf injury.

PREDICTION: Nets 106, Magic 103