Nets Fall Short Against Thunder as Rebuild Continues

The Brooklyn Nets faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team they’re aiming to mirror in their rebuilding process, and it didn’t go as planned. Losing 105-86 at Paycom Center in front of 18,203 fans was, well, a bit disheartening. It really highlighted how much work Brooklyn has ahead of them, especially offensively.

Brooklyn struggled to maintain any rhythm, shooting only 36.7% overall and managing just 7-of-41 from beyond the arc. Compared to the previous night’s game against the Cavaliers, they put in a solid effort, but things still fell apart. There was no outburst of frustration, just a noticeable struggle to make shots and retain possession.

They committed a total of 21 turnovers, including 12 that contributed to a rough start against the Thunder. With this latest loss, the Nets, now at 15-40, are holding the fourth position in the lottery, just a game behind the Wizards, who recently snagged their second consecutive win over the struggling Pacers.

Interestingly, the Thunder were missing their star player, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with a couple of other key players, yet they still pulled off a solid victory. Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr. was the standout with 22 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. However, his shooting from distance was off, landing only 1-of-9 attempts from three.

Rookie Egor Demin, the Nets’ first participant in the Rising Stars game since 2019, seemed to hit a wall, scoring just three points on a rough 1-of-10 shooting night. Another rookie, Nolan Traore, fared better with 17 points to his name.

In the wake of this game, Brooklyn has brought in Acie Law, the former director of amateur scouting for the Thunder, as their director of player personnel. It’s a clear sign of their intention to rebuild, but Friday’s performance showcased just how far they still have to go.

Initially, the Nets took a 23-17 lead thanks to a three-pointer from rookie Ochai Agbaji. But that momentum didn’t last, as their offense began to falter. They found themselves trailing 21-3 in the game’s waning minutes, struggling particularly from beyond the arc, where they went 0-of-8 and allowed multiple turnovers.

It wasn’t until Porter found Dayron Sharpe, who had 12 points and eight rebounds in for the sidelined Nick Claxton, that they managed to score again with a little over three minutes left in the first half. But by then, the damage was done.

As the third quarter rolled around, the Thunder’s lead grew to 55-35. Unlike their effort against the Cavs, the Nets at least attempted to put up a fight. They went on a quick 9-0 run, but it didn’t last. Porter made some notable shots, including a three from Jalen Wilson, narrowing the gap briefly to 71-63, but that was as close as they would come.

Meanwhile, Jared McCain scored 21 points, showcasing the depth of the short-handed Thunder squad. With a mix of bright spots and glaring issues, the Nets have quite a journey ahead in their rebuilding phase.