The Brooklyn Nets have finally broken their worst losing streak of the franchise in the last 10 years after losing seven straight games to start the season. This win over the Indiana Pacers is positive for team morale and boosts their confidence, but the win will mean nothing in the long run. What the future holds for the tank season remains to be seen, but the tanking continues for Brooklyn. The Nets are now 1-7 in the Eastern Conference standings and hold last place, tied with both the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards.
The Philadelphia 76ers Tack On Another Loss For Brooklyn
The Philadelphia 76ers plowed through Brooklyn with a 129-105 victory on Sunday night. Both Kelly Oubre Jr. and Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers to the win with their offensive dominance. Oubre Jr. had 29 points, and Maxey had 26. Even without perennial All-Star Joel Embiid, the 76ers were able to hold their own against Brooklyn and garner the win. Despite an 18 to 7 run by Brooklyn to cut the deficit to a 10-point 76ers lead, Philadelphia kicked it back into gear to put the game away by the end of the third quarter.
The 76ers had the upper hand on the offense at 52.1% from the field, with Brooklyn shooting at around 43.3% from the field. Cam Thomas led Brooklyn in scoring with 29 points, with Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann behind with 17 points each. Ziaire Williams played well off the bench with 13 points, but Egor Demin was cold with only five points.
There is confusion amongst fans as to why Egor Demin and the rest of the rookies are playing under 20 minutes or more. While it is excellent that Thomas and Porter Jr. are playing very well offensively, it hinders the growth of the rookies. It is unclear why head coach Jordi Fernandez is not playing the young players when they are in tank mode, but the trade value of Porter Jr. is expected to rise. The value of Porter Jr. is beneficial to Brooklyn for potential trade ideas in February.
Julius Randle Triple-Doubles His Way Over Brooklyn
Julius Randle dominated in a Minnesota Timberwolves’ 125-109 win over the Nets. Randle took home the award of being the game’s most valuable player with a triple-double, posting 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. The rest of the Timberwolves played well, with Donte DiVincenzo scoring 25 points, Jaden McDaniels with 22, and Rudy Gobert contributing a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Thomas was once again the driving force of the offense for Brooklyn with 25 points. A familiar face also played well for Brooklyn when Nic Claxton put up 19 points.
The Nets performed well throughout most of the game, trailing by only four points at halftime. While the Nets fought back and led by one point, they could not hold onto their momentum and let it slip as multiple missed shots and turnovers gave Minnesota back the lead. Their momentum carried into the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run, putting the game away as Brooklyn struggled to regain its offensive footing.
The Nets have struggled with a lack of ball movement throughout their games, and Thomas has recently been criticized for his style of play. In his game against Minnesota, Thomas attempted 24 shots for the night, making only 10 of them. Thomas also took an egregious shot from the three-point line when only down by three with plenty of time on the shot clock. The Nets’ tanking season doesn’t look good for their future if the team struggles to make plays on the offensive end. With Cam Thomas on the court, it usually ends up in isolation-type plays. This stagnates the offense and the development of the rookies. The Nets’ lack of playmaking abilities on both ends of the court has led to a stressful tanking season for Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Breaks Their Losing Streak Against Indiana
The Brooklyn Nets won their first game of the season with a 112-103 win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday evening. It was Porter Jr. and his 32 points that helped Brooklyn grab their first win of the 2025-2026 season. Porter Jr. looked good with 10 of 20 from the field and put up four three-pointers for the night. He was able to pick up the pace after Thomas left the game in the first quarter due to hamstring tightness.
Other Nets who showed out offensively were Clayton with 18 points, Noah Clowney with 17 points, Tyrese Martin with 16 points, and Mann with 15 points. The Pacers, on the other hand, were led by Pascal Siakam and his 23 points. The Pacers are coming off their NBA Finals appearance and have not looked good so far. The Pacers are dealing with a plethora of injuries and are obviously missing their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, who is out for the entire year. Despite a 41 to 29 scoring output by Indiana in the second quarter, Brooklyn held on and finally grabbed their first win of the year.
The Brooklyn Nets looked good without Thomas on the floor. Despite Thomas being an offensive juggernaut for Brooklyn when he is on his game, the ball has more movement and gives more opportunities all around when he is off the floor. Clowney looked more aggressive and played like his potential when he was drafted. The main issue for Wednesday night’s game was the lack of Demin on the floor, as he was only given 13 minutes of playing time. While it is very early in the season, head coach Fernandez needs to look for more opportunities to plate their young guys more. Having the rookies in limited playing time may hinder their growth and fail to create chemistry amongst the young core if they are not playing many minutes on a nightly basis.
What’s Next For The Nets?
The Nets looked good when they were able to play together and give each other good looks. While the iso game can work, and it can have a player carry the offensive load, it can only do so much. Cam Thomas suffered from this when he had his hamstring issue. Thomas can bring in wins for Brooklyn, with Porter Jr. behind on the scoring end of things, but it’s clear that the Nets do play better when playing amongst each other rather than relying on their primary scorer.
The Nets coaching staff must play their rookies so they can build chemistry and realize their potential. Having Jordi Fernandez given their first pick in Egor Demin, only 20 minutes or less of playing time will not be suitable for the rookie in the long run. It is a long season, and the Nets aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, so there’s no harm in letting the rookies play and feel out an entire NBA season, growing pains and all.
