Noah Clowney Shines Amid Tough Season for Nets

This year has seen Noah Clowney emerge as a bright spot for the struggling Nets, who are facing a challenging campaign. On Sunday, he achieved a personal best with 22 points against Toronto, but a careless missed 3-pointer in the final moments of the game might serve as a valuable lesson.

The rise of the 21-year-old Clowney feels like a bit of luck, especially as fans watch the Nets’ efforts to incorporate a record five first-round rookies into their lineup. Initially, Clowney’s season started off rocky—spending his first six games on the bench, he averaged only 4.3 points with a shooting percentage of 23.3% overall and 18.2% from beyond the arc.

However, since stepping into the starting role, he has been averaging 15.1 points per game. Impressively, Clowney has scored at least 12 points in six games, boasting a career-high average of 16 points, alongside 1.5 blocks, and shooting percentages of 45.9% from deep and 35.7% overall.

Last season, Clowney’s speed and decision-making issues were evident. But this year, he seems to have turned those challenges into strengths, showcasing powerful drives and dunks—like those against Seton Hall’s Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Still, the game had its turning points. With the score tied at 98-98 and the Nets seeking their first lead, Clowney forced a 3-pointer that resulted in an airball. Mamukelashvili grabbed the rebound, and the Raptors quickly capitalized, putting the Nets in a tighter spot from which they never recovered.

Tyrese Martin had a standout performance off the bench with a season-best 26 points, successfully sinking five 3-pointers and going perfect from the free-throw line (7-of-7). This marked the second-highest scoring game of his career and made him the leading scorer from the bench for the Nets this season.

Michael Porter Jr. also contributed, scoring 25 points with solid shooting numbers and extending his own streak of 20-point games to nine, a notable achievement among Nets players.

Nick Claxton recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, tying him for ninth in franchise history with Keith Van Horn. He also made two blocks, bringing his career total to 556, just three short of Derrick Coleman.

Meanwhile, rookie Egor Demin, who had an impressive game last Friday, struggled, shooting only 2-of-10 from the field. The Nets are navigating a lot, missing key players like Thomas and Saraf, while Toronto played without Jakob Poeltl and experienced an injury setback with RJ Barrett leaving the game in the third quarter.

Looking ahead, the Nets will take on the Knicks, who haven’t secured a win since January 2023. It’ll be interesting to see if they can find their footing in that matchup.