Nets Dominate Preseason Opener with a 124-90 Win Over Charlotte
The Nets kicked off their preseason with a convincing 124-90 victory against Charlotte, utilizing their entire roster of healthy players in the process.
It was no shock to see veteran forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle emerge as key contributors, though their impressive shooting performance was certainly unexpected.
Last season, the Nets struggled significantly, finishing at the bottom of the league in offensive ratings and three-point shooting percentage. However, in this game, they managed to shoot an impressive 55.0 percent overall and hit 20 of 37 attempts from three-point range.
They dismantled a shorthanded Charlotte team, recording 31 assists and capitalizing on 25 turnovers, which led to a 25-6 advantage in fast-break points.
“It felt good, obviously,” said coach Jordi Fernández. “In the first preseason game, we managed to get almost everyone who was available out there. Everyone made their minutes count, which is important—playing hard for all 48 minutes.”
“We had some turnover issues in the first half, but ended up with just three in the second—one of those doesn’t really count. So, that’s pretty impressive: 31 assists on 44 made field goals. Defensively, our ball pressure forced them into 25 turnovers, leading to 31 points. The one area we need to improve is guarding the three-point line better; we need to do a better job finding their shooters.”
Porter topped the team with 16 points, converting 4 of his 6 attempts from beyond the arc, while Randle contributed 13 points and three assists.
For much of training camp, Porter and Randle were playing on different squads, and they’re still working through their chemistry. “Yeah, just getting to know each other’s game better,” Fernández noted. “They need to understand that Mike needs to be found at the three-point line. Julius can score in various ways—can penetrate and then kick it out. It was nice because I think Julius set Mike up once, and then Mike found Julius for a three. So, it’s going well.”
“They’re figuring out how to run their plays together. It’s a good first step. We want to continue to build on this and improve our cohesiveness with the different lineups we’ll use. But they did an outstanding job.”
Day’Ron Sharpe contributed eight points and seven rebounds, which is encouraging for a team that needs rim protection. His two blocks and a plus-19 rating in under 18 minutes were positive indicators.
Drake Powell, facing challenges at the summer league, bounced back with nine points on 4-for-6 shooting, finishing with a game-high plus-20 rating and making his only three-point shot.
While the Nets had their entire roster except for injured first-round picks Mikel Brown Jr. (ankle) and Joshua Jefferson (lower back), Charlotte didn’t have the same luxury. They missed several players, including Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Coby White, yet they managed to hit 16 of 36 attempts from deep.
“Winning every quarter is a good sign. We had various groups out there, and they did whatever it took to secure victories in each quarter. That mindset is crucial,” Fernández remarked. “The first half was closer than we wanted, but I’m very pleased with the intentions, the effort, and the positive aspects we saw develop throughout the game.”
