The Brooklyn Nets have now lost eight of their last 10 games, contributing greatly to the overall tanking season that is their 2025-26 season. Brooklyn has much to work on before reaching the level they want to be at, and these losses can contribute to both a future top draft pick and the development of their rookies. The Nets’ rookies have shown promise, but still need polishing before the young core can do anything noteworthy. The Nets are now 12-30 and hold 13th place in the Eastern Conference.
New Orleans Wins In Clutch Time Against Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Nets lost 116 to 113 against the New Orleans Pelicans in a close battle, thanks to a New Orleans surge in the final minutes. It was Saddiq Bey’s tying 3-pointer, dunk, and two free throws in the final minute that propelled New Orleans to the win. The Pelicans were carried by a 34-point performance by Trey Murphy III, along with 25 points by Zion Williamson, and a 12-point and 12-rebound double-double by Yves Missi. Missi had nine offensive boards, helping New Orleans score 33 second-chance points in the comeback.
Demin started off strong by hitting four of his five three-pointers to lead by as much as 12 points early in the game. The Pelicans slowly cut down on the lead, keeping it close throughout the second half. The Nets had the momentum on their side in the opening of the fourth with seven points on their first three shots of the game.
Unfortunately for Brooklyn, the Pelicans would fight back and create a 15 to 4 offensive run to bring New Orleans to victory in the final minutes of the game.
While it would have been nice to see the Nets go to overtime and try to win, there was good chemistry between Egor Demin and Drake Powell. Their start together showed great results, and starting them together on a consistent basis should be the goal moving forward. While the loss was a blow to fans’ morale, it contributed to the tanking season and, hopefully, to a brighter future for Brooklyn.
Porter Jr. Helps Win Close One Against Chicago Bulls
The Brooklyn Nets won in nail-biting fashion 112 to 109 over the Chicago Bulls. The Nets nearly let the game slip away when a go-ahead layup by Michael Porter Jr. in the final seconds led to the Brooklyn Win. Porter’s 26 points, along with a 23-point and 11-rebound double-double by Noah Clowney, Day’Ron Sharpe’s 24 points, and Danny Wolf’s 13 points, contributed to the win, breaking the Nets’ five-game losing streak. For the Bulls, Nikola Vucevic had 19 points, and Ayo Dosunmu had 18 points.
The Nets led by as much as 20 points in the fourth quarter, thanks to a 15-0 offensive run in the first half that put them up by 17 heading into halftime. The Bulls fired back in the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run, and Cam Thomas’ 3-pointer was the response that helped stop the bleeding.
The Bulls fired back with a 7-0 run to lead by one point. Porter Jr.’s layup and Clowney’s two free throws helped bring the lead back up, as Chicago failed to tie the game with the clock running down.
It was a great game by Porter Jr., and his clutch shot near the end solidified Nets fans’ case to keep him in Brooklyn for a little longer. Claxton played well on the rebounding side of things, Danny Wolf looked great while playing aggressively on offense, and Clowney had a great game with his second career double-double.
The Nets had shown some bright spots despite nearly letting the game slip away. Having a loss could have contributed to the tank, but a win here and there will always be good for team morale and could boost team chemistry moving forward.
Chicago Bulls Storm Back With A Vengeance In Blowout Win Against Nets
In their back-to-back matchup, the Chicago Bulls took the second game in a 124 to 102 victory over Brooklyn. Colby White’s 24 points and Dosunmu’s 19 points contributed to the victory for Chicago. In addition to their offensive contributions were Vucevic’s double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Matas Buzelis’ 17 points.
For Brooklyn, Nolan Traore had 16 points, and Danny Wolf and Jalen Wilson matched with 14 points each. It was a 10-0 run by the Bulls, which created a 39-22 deficit that Chicago never let up. The Bulls remained relentless throughout the game, maintaining a lead as high as 20 points for most of the second half.
Cam Thomas had looked to be more productive without the ball in his hands with 10 assists. Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez expressed his opinion on Cam Thomas’s recent role, saying he is happy with where Cam is in terms of his production and willingness to be a playmaker while also working on his defense.
The positives of the game ended there, as the Bulls put on an offensive clinic and added another loss to Brooklyn’s tanking season.
Phoenix Suns Contribute To Nets’ Tanking Season By Adding Another Loss
Five Phoenix Suns players contributed over 10 points in a 126 to 117 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. It was Dillon Brooks’ 27 points, Devin Booker’s 23 points, Collin Gillespie’s 22 points, Mark Williams’ 16 points, and Grayson Allen’s 14 points off the bench that offensively contributed to the win. The Suns had shot 57 percent from the field and 51 percent from the 3-point line.
Compared to Brooklyn’s 51 percent from the field and 39 percent from the 3-point line, the Nets were outmatched offensively, especially from the 3-point line. While the Nets did create a 19 to 6 offensive run to cut the deficit to 118 to 114 with four minutes left in the game, the Suns answered back with two three-pointers on their offensive trips to put the game out of reach for Brooklyn.
For the Nets, Porter Jr. led with 23 points, with Clowney behind with 16 points, and Ziaire Williams with 15 points.
Some positives from the game included great performances by Powell, Wolf, and Traore. Clowney was more aggressive driving into the paint than attempting shots. Traore did well in the first half but got shut down in the second after Phoenix adjusted. It’s part of a rookie’s journey to struggle, and Traore does not yet have the skill set to adjust to the Phoenix Suns’ defense, but it could hopefully change throughout the season or with some offseason work.
New York Knicks Outclass Brooklyn Nets In Dominant Win
The New York Knicks showed their dominance over their rival in a 120 to 66 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Knicks looked to send a message to the league, and this victory helped snap a four-game losing streak with an offensive clinic over Brooklyn. Jalen Brunson had 20 points, and Landry Shamet had 18 points for the Knicks, going 6-for-6 from the three-point line.
The Knicks had led by as much as 59 points throughout the game and did not let up, opening the fourth quarter with a 16-0 run and extending their lead to 104-56. The Knicks were booed out of the building in a blowout loss to the Dallas Mavericks, and looked to take this game against the Nets personally.
For the Nets, Porter Jr. was the leading scorer with only 12 points. The Knicks continued with unanswered offensive barrages throughout the game, leading 60 to 38 at halftime, and outscored the Nets 60 to 28 in the second half. This loss against their rival became Brooklyn’s worst loss of the season since November 9.
The Nets/Knicks matchup proved how out of reach a playoff run is for Brooklyn anytime soon. The Nets’ tanking season brought upon some bright spots and some future potential in the young core, but they are nowhere near close to touching the playoffs. The Knicks easily proved to be the better team with the personnel they had, and the Nets have a lot of work to do before they want to at least beat their local rival.
What’s Next For The Nets
The tanking continues for Brooklyn, and hopefully, there is no looking back. While the losses look tough on paper, it is for the best if Brooklyn chooses their top pick wisely. Their future superstar could be on the horizon, and this season is a rough patch that could be the trigger for Brooklyn’s future success.
The Knicks’ matchup showed how outclassed Brooklyn was and that they have many hurdles to overcome before thinking about the playoffs. Fans could hope these hurdles can be overcome quickly with the continued development of the rookies, a potential re-signing of Michael Porter Jr., and a good choice in their 2026 NBA Draft pick.
