The Brooklyn Nets returned from the All-Star Break in losing fashion, losing five in a row this past week. The Nets’ rebuild continues after the break, with the team losing its last five games since the regular season resumed.
The Nets are currently tied with the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers with a 14% chance of obtaining the first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Brooklyn now holds a 15-43 record and is in 14th place in the Eastern Conference standings.
New Duo In Cleveland Takes Down The Nets
The new dynamic duo of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell defeated the Nets 112 to 84 to open the second half of the regular season. The newly formed duo of Harden and Mitchell combined for 33 points en route to their fifth straight home win. Mitchell had 17, with Harden behind him with 16 points.
The Brooklyn Nets had no answers, failed to take the lead throughout the game, and struggled to keep up with the All-Star duo. Michael Porter Jr. had 14 points, and Ochai Agbaji had 13 points for the Nets.
Adding onto the box score were Evan Mobley with 10 points and nine rebounds, and Dean Wade with 10 points. Harden adjusted quickly to his new team, making his first six field goals, including three three-pointers. Mitchell went 7 of 12 from the field.
Brooklyn struggled to find answers offensively and could not keep up against one of the top Eastern Conference teams, sliding down the standings as the season resumes.
A bright spot for Brooklyn was Agbaji’s performance. His 13 points were good to see on the offensive side, but he also brought great defense and physicality, which were much needed for Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Gets Beat Down By The Reigning Champs, Oklahoma City Thunder
Another new-look team gave the Nets a beating, losing 105 to 86 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Newly acquired Jared McCain recorded his season-high with 21 points. McCain was 7 of 12 from the field with three three-pointers made for the night.
Despite the Thunder being understaffed with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams out with injuries, McCain and crew gave Brooklyn some trouble. Chet Holmgren put up 15 points, with Isiah Joe behind with 11, and Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort both put up 10 points each.
For the Nets, Porter Jr. had 22 points and nine rebounds, while Nolan Traore had 17 points. While the Nets held on to a one-point lead, that lead was quickly squandered when the Thunder went on an offensive run. The Nets struggled to score, going eight minutes without a field goal in the second quarter.
Brooklyn ended the game shooting 36.7% from the field. The Thunder maintained their lead for the entire game, never letting up, adding another loss to Brooklyn’s record.
While Traore was the positive in Friday’s game, the Nets struggled with chemistry and could not get their shots to fall. The team has trouble getting into a rhythm and making their shots, going in blind at times, and hoping their shots go in.
The Nets’ shooting has to improve drastically, and they have to stop relying on Porter Jr. or even a rookie like Traore to create shots. The rhythm and chemistry need improvement if the Nets’ rebuild were to work in the next few years.
Atlanta Hawks Soar Through Brooklyn For The Win
The Atlanta Hawks kept it close but managed to pull away in a 115 to 104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. It was Jalen Johnson’s double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds to help Atlanta get over their deficit and get the win.
The Nets were up by as much as 11 points in the fourth quarter. The lead was quickly wiped away after the Atlanta Hawks rallied from behind to retake the lead and create a deficit of their own to secure the win.
Newly acquired CJ McCollum added 16 points and eight rebounds in his first game with the Hawks after a blockbuster trade occurred that sent Trae Young to the Washington Wizards.
Porter Jr. once again led the Nets in scoring with 18 points. Porter Jr. did his best to get his team involved with his seven rebounds and six assists, but it wasn’t enough. Behind him was Nic Claxton with 15 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Claxton returned to action after missing three games with ankle and hip injuries.
The Hawks went on an absurd 24 to 2 run in the final eight minutes of the game, with Brooklyn failing to make a single field goal. Brooklyn only made one of their final 12 attempted field goals to have their lead taken away, giving the win to Atlanta.
The Nets had collapsed yet again, struggling to maintain their lead and giving their win away to Atlanta. While it is a frustrating sight to see the Nets missing nearly every single field goal in the fourth quarter, fans can hope that the losses will contribute to something special for Brooklyn in the future. The collapses are no fun to watch, but hopefully they can be a one-season thing. The further development of the Nets in the offseason and the acquisition of a top pick will minimize these collapses moving forward, when their seasons start to matter.
Dallas Mavericks Dish Out A Cold One To Brooklyn
The New York blizzard froze both the city and the Nets, as they took a 123-114 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. The Mavericks were led by Marvin Bagley III’s 22 points, with Naji Marshall behind with 21 points. Behind them was Brandon Williams’ double-double with 19 points and 10 assists, and Klay Thompson with 17 points.
For the Nets, Porter Jr. had 26 points, Clowney had 22 points, Terance Mann had 17 points, and Claxton had 16 points and nine rebounds.
The Nets kept themselves within the game throughout the final minutes, trailing by as much as two in the fourth quarter. However, an offensive push by Dallas brought the lead back up to double-digits, and they didn’t look back to get the victory over Brooklyn.
The loss was expected for Brooklyn, but it exposed that the Nets do need an X-Factor in their lineup. While Porter Jr. is great and is proving himself to be able to play at an All-Star caliber level, he isn’t enough to get Brooklyn over the hump.
The Nets need to draft carefully in the 2026 draft, as they are in the running for a top-three pick, and their pick can be a franchise guy for Brooklyn in the coming years.
An Offensive Performance By Julian Champagnie Puts Away Brooklyn
The Spurs proved they are a top Western team with a 126-110 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Even with a quiet offensive night for their star, Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs notched their 11th straight win in their victory over Brooklyn. It was Julian Champagnie’s 26 points that led the Spurs offensively.
Wembanyama had only 12 points for the night, with Stephon Castle behind with 18 points, De’Aaron Fox with 14 points, Devin Vassell with 14 points, Keldon Johnson with 13 points, and Dylan Harper with 12 points.
This is the San Antonio Spurs’ longest winning streak since winning 13 in a row during the 2015-2016 season, according to ESPN.
For the Nets, Porter Jr. had a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds, and behind him, Day’Ron Sharpe had a double-double as well with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The San Antonio Spurs took the lead very early on and never let up, consistently extending their lead throughout the game, and were unwilling to give it up. The Nets did fight back in the third quarter with a 13-to-4 offensive scoring run, but their efforts were meaningless as the Spurs continued to bash on offensively to secure their lead.
The tanking continued for Brooklyn with their loss to San Antonio, but Porter Jr. was hustling with his 14 rebounds. His efforts on the court are impressive, and his scoring ability is unmatched. If the Nets can pair Porter Jr. with another franchise player, it could be a great duo that can hopefully be strengthened by a Nets team with enough depth.
Brooklyn Broken Down By Boston Celtics In Loss
The Boston Celtics bulldozed their way through the Brooklyn Nets 148 to 111 on Friday night. It was Jaylen BBrown’s28 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists that led Boston to extend Brooklyn’s losing streak. Along with Brown, Nikola Vucevic had a double-double with 28 points and 11 rebounds, with Payton Pritchard also adding 22 points.
Boston was lights out from the field, shooting 66.7% from the field and getting 77 points from off the bench. For Brooklyn, Michael Porter Jr. had 18 points. Despite shooting well from the field throughout the first half, the Celtics’ eight turnovers had Brooklyn behind by nine points by halftime.
By the end of the second half, Boston held on to the ball better and allowed only four turnovers for the rest of the game. The Nets had flashes of greatness but were outmatched by Boston’s shooting.
Brooklyn kept the game close for three quarters but failed to maintain the momentum in the fourth, leading to the loss. Fortunately, the Nets were able to stay in contention with a top Eastern Conference team like Boston, but the loss was inevitable.
What’s Next For The Nets
Like previously mentioned, the Nets are missing that X-Factor player that the franchise desperately needs. Someone like Nikola Jokic or a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will vastly improve the Nets in the next couple of years. Drafting someone like Cameron Boozer or AJ Dybantsa could be the difference maker for Brooklyn and turn things around for them.
The development of the rookies has slowed since the All-Star Break, but fans can hope their All-Star break rust wears off and they deliver great performances despite the expected losses coming their way for the remainder of the season.
