ORLANDO -- The fans inside the Amway Arena were stunned, but not silent. They booed the home team because they couldn't believe the Magic were down 10 points to the Nets in the second period.

It was almost as if the Magic couldn't believe it either. The 10-point deficit became a two-point Orlando lead quickly. The Nets never led again and the crowd never booed again as they watched the Magic bury New Jersey, 88-72.

The Nets' ninth loss in nine games this season went pretty much like their last three when they were decimated, yet seemed to be on their way to defying the odds and winning.

But this game was very different because they weren't in it for the last nine minutes. As beat up as the Nets are this wasn't a night to praise their effort or defense or fight. They battled, yes, but they stopped defending and after the Magic went up 10 in the fourth it was over.

"We got enough," coach Lawrence Frank said. "They were just better than us.

"I just think we're capable of doing better."

It was the first time since the Nets have been rolling out eight or nine guys -- many of them who started the season as their 10th, 11th and 12th men -- that Frank was disappointed. It was the first time the Nets really weren't competitive down the stretch.

This was going to happen eventually. There was going to be a game where the Nets weren't going to have the bodies or talent to stay in the game until the final seconds.

It shouldn't be surprising that it came against the defending Eastern Conference champs in their house, with Dwight Howard dominating and Vince Carter coming to life in the quarter period. That doesn't make it any less disappointing.

"I think we're capable of more," Frank said.

The Nets had nine guys as Chris Douglas-Roberts returned from his H1N1 respite, but were without Devin Harris, Courtney Lee and Yi Jianlian again. They say they didn't wear down, but it looked like they did. They weren't moving defensively, weren't getting in the paint, weren't drawing fouls.

The Magic were doing all those things, but it helps when you have Howard manning the middle, and he manhandled Nets' center Brook Lopez.

Howard outscored Lopez, 26-4, outrebounded him, 12-4, and had a 5-3 edge on blocks. If those numbers weren't lopsided enough: Howard took 12 foul shots. Lopez took three, and one was a technical free throw. Howard attempted 14 shots and made 10. Lopez took 12 and made one. Most of Howard's shots were layups, dunks and stick-backs.

He was the more aggressive one, not surprisingly. But this should be another learning experience for the young Lopez and another one for the Nets.

We'll see right away if there is any hangover from this game. The Nets are in Miami on Saturday night, playing Dwyane Wade and company. The Heat haven't played since Thursday and when they did they lost, so they should be looking to get that loss out of their system.

Did we mention they have Wade? He was a Net killer last season. Actually, he crushed many teams, but the Nets remember well what he did to them, scoring 43 points in one game and blocking two of Lopez's offerings late.

Getting off to a fast start won't be enough against the Heat. The Nets have to sustain it and make sure they're in the game late in the fourth quarter if not ahead.

This type of loss was going to happen eventually. Now they have to avoid doing it twice in a row.

Al Iannazzone covers the Nets for The Record (Bergen County, N.J.).