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[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Holds NBA’s Last Open Roster Spot: Who Could Fill It and When

Out of 540 available roster spots in the NBA, 539 are currently filled. That lone open spot belongs to the Brooklyn Nets, the only team yet to fill all three of their two-way slots.

From the outside looking in, the decision to hold off on adding another player might seem a little strange. The Nets don’t have much to lose by taking a flyer on an unproven prospect, and they’d probably welcome any kind of help they can get right now.

Then again, Brooklyn’s developmental staff already has its hands full as they shuttle rookies back and forth between the NBA and the G League. Indeed, what insiders will tell you is that there’s no rush. The front office is all about flexibility, even at the two-way roster level. They want to see who might fit, and to them the “right guy” starts with high character, said a league source. Teams can sign two-ways up to March 4.

As the youngest team in the league, and one of the five youngest in NBA history, there’s still plenty of improvements to be made before the Flatbush Five become dependable NBA contributors. It’s certainly one reason that the Nets just want to focus on the players they already have, instead of tossing another project into the mix. Of course, development is not limited to the five first rounders. 21-year-old Noah Clowney has two years remaining on his rookie contract.

That said, there are a few intriguing options both within and outside the organization that the Nets could look to for that final two-way slot.

Internal Options​

Grant Nelson​

For a team that’s struggled to show consistent effort, and often seems to fumble the little, unquantifiable details that decide games, adding a player like Nelson would do a lot more good than harm.

And it’s not like he’s lacking interest. The Alabama product clearly wants to be here, he even turned down the chance to be drafted just so he could sign with the Nets as a free agent.

“I really like the coaching staff,” Nelson told NetsDaily’s Scott Mitchell. “I like the plan they had. There’s a lot that goes into it. My agent knows a lot more than me, so I just really trusted his plan, and I feel like this is a great spot to be. I like my teammates, coaches, and the system.”

During his final season at Alabama, the 7-footer averaged 11.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game while helping lead the Crimson Tide to the Elite Eight. He also impressed during his time at North Dakota State, where he earned First team All-Summit league honors after averaging 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting 52.1% from the field as a junior.

He joined the Nets during the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging six points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 57.9% from the field. Through two games on Long Island, he’s averaging 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks including three last night in 18.5 minutes.

This team needs hustlers, players focused on making an impact, not filling up a box score. Brooklyn currently owns the lowest defensive rating in the NBA, and could use a high-energy, selfless player cut from Nelson’s cloth.

“That’s just part of my game. I value all of those things. It’s what I picked up from every coach that I’ve played for. I think it’s all those little things that will ultimately win the game,” Nelson told NetsDaily. “Screening, getting rebounds, playing defense, those are all small things that you can’t see unless you watch the game.”

Yuri Collins​

Beyond their defensive issues, Brooklyn’s lack of a true distributor remains one of the team’s most glaring weaknesses.

A season ago, Collins orchestrated one of the best playmaking campaigns that the G League has ever seen. While playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s affiliate, he dished out a league-leading 10.8 assists per game, the highest mark in the G League since 2009–10.

He also added 14.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, shooting 41.2% from the field and 26.4% from three, proving he could both create and contribute offensively.

Collins’ assist numbers from last season weren’t just a fluke or the byproduct of a friendly system. He led the NCAA in assists twice (2021 and 2022) during his time at Saint Louis University. And while running point for the Phoenix Suns’ Las Vegas Summer League team this summer, he finished among the event’s top ten passers while averaging six assists per game.

According to Rob Ford, Collins’ head coach at Saint Louis, the point guard’s unique feel for the game often puts him in advantageous positions to produce.

“Everybody wants to score. And if he wanted to, Yuri could average 20 points per game. He can get to his spots so easy and he can score the ball,” Ford said. “What I love about him is he gets a feel for the game as the game is going on, which games he needs to score, which games he needs to run the offense and set everybody up. And it’s usually all based on how teams are playing him.”

At 6 feet and 190 pounds, his size could make him a defensive concern. That said, it’s not like the Nets’ current options have been very helpful on that end either. Last season, Collins led the Warriors with 1.4 steals per game (minimum 20 appearances), using his lateral quickness and sturdy lower body to stay in front of ball-handlers and make life difficult for opposing guards.

Outside Options​

Tyler Smith​

Viewed as one of the top players in the G League last season, Smith could add some needed depth and versatility to Brooklyn or Long Island’s front-court.

The 6’11”, 224-pound power forward recently signed with the Capital City Go-Go, where he’s averaging 12.8 points and 5.3 boards after four games.

After being taken at No. 33 in the 2025 Draft, Smith averaged 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Wisconsin Herd. He also appeared in 23 games with the Bucks, averaging 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field and 43.3% from beyond the arc.

The former five-star recruit is still just 21 years old and probably would’ve benefited from the extra seasoning that comes with college ball instead of the now-infamous G League Ignite experiment.

His talent is undeniable though, and with a developmental staff as hands-on as Brooklyn’s, it might not take much to unlock it.

Keon Brooks Jr.​

As another player with brief NBA experience, Brooks Jr. has flashed some intriguing scoring ability throughout his brief professional career.

While appearing in 14 games for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, the Washington product averaged a respectable 10.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48.6% from the field and 32.6% from beyond the arc.

During his time with the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, Brooks Jr. averaged 18.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

While Brooklyn’s starting unit has a few reliable scorers, the 25-year-old sharpshooter could provide some valuable offensive depth while coming off of the bench.

———————-

The Nets’ recent two-way history follows a pretty consistent pattern. They’ve targeted two kinds of players: second-round picks like Kessler Edwards and Jalen Wilson, and undrafted college standouts or older projects like David Duke Jr. and Tyrese Martin. Martin, who’s now in Brooklyn’s rotation, didn’t play a single minute in Long Island after signing his two-way deal. And in each of these cases, Sean Marks and his staff eventually moved the player to a standard NBA contract.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...t-open-roster-spot-who-could-fill-it-and-when

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets lose to Orlando Magic in final minutes, 105-98

Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images

Michael Porter Jr. entered Friday night’s NBA Cup contest against the Orlando Magic with a career-high of six assists, done just once. In less than one quarter of play, he tied that mark. Despite a putrid record through his first season-and-change, rest assured Jordi Fernández is going to have a long leash as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.

His team led 36-27 after one quarter, and while scoring seven fast-break points off seven Orlando turnovers helped the cause, they really just spammed Porter Jr./Nic Claxton actions in the half court with great success. Porter Jr., tracing the arc clockwise, would come off a screen and then a handoff from Claxton, or he’d receive a simple pass. From there, it was over for Orlando’s bigs, in a mediocre drop coverage that neither contested his jumpers nor the lob over the top…

lobs on lobs on lobs

MPJ Clax pic.twitter.com/dkQg9UU5UB

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 15, 2025

Porter Jr. posted 11 points and six assists in the first quarter. He was a beneficiary of Brooklyn’s flowing offense, not just the focal point. Brooklyn rode their early momentum to a 16-point lead midway through the second quarter, thought it was at this point their offense flatlined. Orlando, even without Paolo Banchero due to injury, made it a close game before the half.

Egor Dëmin drove off a pick-and-roll for a layup early, sending a minor shockwave throughout Nets fandom, but was otherwise quiet over just 18 minutes, posting 8/3/2 on 2-of-9 shooting. He was subbed out a couple possessions into the third quarter and had a lengthy spell on the bench, though he did ultimately return for some big fourth quarter minutes, where he made his sole 3-pointer.

Jordi Fernández predictably downplayed his sub pattern: “No, I just played with Tyrese. And at some point, what you’re trying to find is a group that gives you a run. And that group … they made a run, right?”

The other rookie in the rotation, Drake Powell, was a bit more ready for the physical and chaotic tone of this NBA Cup affair. He posted 6/3/3 on all two-pointers in his 22 minutes, but his most impressive plays had little to do with the stat-sheet. Often tasked with defending Desmond Bane, he fervently shuffled those puppies…

Desmond Bane has his hands full with Drake Powell. The rookie has wrecked multiple Magic possessions in this first half. pic.twitter.com/ulcGmLDb1r

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 15, 2025

Really, this is why Brooklyn hung around until the bitter end. They won the turnover battle 19-7, taking advantage of an uninspiring Orlando Magic half-court offense that invokes the feeling Head Coach Jamahl Mosley won’t survive their upcoming first- or second-round exit.

But that offense was enough to get the job done. Ziaire Williams and Terance Mann each played with terrific energy and made a couple of 3-pointers (though a visibly fired up Mann was a team-worst -20 on the night), but no other Net could make a jumper after the first quarter. Despite Porter Jr.’s 24/11/7 stat-line, he shot just 10-of-23 from the floor. As a whole, Brooklyn finished 10-of-39 from deep, undoing a pretty strong 56% shooting on twos.

STEAL + BUCKET

15 pts off the bench for Z pic.twitter.com/W81CFah0RJ

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 15, 2025

Up 98-94 with under two minutes left, Nic Claxton (13/4/3) failed to box out Wendell Carter Jr. on the free-throw line, the ball careening out of bounds off a white jersey. Tristan da Silva hit his fifth 3-pointer of the game on the ensuing possession. After an empty trip the other way, Franz Wagner came down and caught the ball against a Ziaire Williams close out. He hoisted up a triple that looked embarrassingly off to everybody in the arena, but those of us watching on television saw it immediately: He banked it in. Next time down, he backed into a three against a Nic Claxton switch, and perhaps emboldened by the friendly touch of the basketball gods, this one went in normally. Ballgame…

FRANZ WAGNER BACK-TO-BACK THREES TO GIVE THE MAGIC THE W pic.twitter.com/f8b41zANwa

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 15, 2025

“We miss a free throw box out they win that position, and then they made a couple of crazy threes,” said Fernández. Sometimes you know, it goes your way. And it’s part of the game, but control what we can control, you know, that defensive rebounding.”

Brooklyn lost the fourth quarter 26-16. At least in this one, they resembled their surly selves from early last season, ready to commit hard fouls and dive on the floor. We even got an old classic from Fernández in postgame…

“We got 1% better as a group, and that’s the most important thing.”

Final Score: Orlando Magic 105, Brooklyn Nets 98

Milestone Watch​

• Noah Clowney (12 points) fouled out for the first time in his career, though not really a milestone.
• Porter’s 24/11/7 and a steal is a stat-line that hasn’t been matched by any Net since Kevin Durant in 2022.
• That also marks the 60th double-double of MPJ’s career, third of this season.

Next Up​

All due respect to the Cup, but this is why we play. In a matchup of 1-11 teams, the Brooklyn Nets will take on the Washington Wizards in our nation’s capital. No sportsbook has released a line for this matchup yet, but this could be one of the only games in which Brooklyn is the betting favorite all season long. Tip-off is scheduled for Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. ET.

• Boxscore: Orlando Magic 105, Brooklyn Nets 98 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Orlando Magic 105, Brooklyn Nets 98 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernández talks about the Nets’ loss to the Magic (Video) – YES Network
• Chris Shearn and Frank Isola break down the Nets’ loss (Video) – YES Network
• Vince Carter joins Meghan Triplett to talk about the Nets (Video) – YES Network
• Wagner scores 25 as the Magic shut down Nets late on the way to a 105-98 victory – Dick Scanlon – AP
• Nets cough up double-digit lead to Magic in most disappointing loss of young season – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets’ Ziaire Williams answers Jordi Fernández’s defensive challenge – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets unravel late and drop fourth straight in loss to Magic ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• The Nets are struggling, but Nic Claxton is surging ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Egor Demin shares hilarious story about paying ‘hard’ New York City rent – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
• Michael Porter Jr. sets career milestone with insane quarter but Nets falter late in Magic loss – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
• Nets NBA Cup player grades: Michael Porter Jr. drops 24 in 105-98 loss at Magic – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY
• Not To Soon To Wonder If Woeful Nets Will Make History – Steve Lichtenstein – Steve’s Newsletter

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scores-results/101517/nets-vs-magic-105-98-egor-demin-franz-wagner

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets pick up second win of the season, beat Wizards 129-106

Even if you understand the upside of it, nobody likes tanking. Plan A is always to root for your favorite team, see it win, and eventually have it go on to win four big ones. That’s how sports fandom works in an ideal world.

Nets World, however, is anything but. And today, with Brooklyn playing the Washington Wizards, who mirror the Nets with a young roster and 1-11 record, tank-related musings were downright unavoidable.

Yes, the stands really are that empty here in CapitalOne Arena for this huge tank battle between the #Nets and #Wizards. #nba pic.twitter.com/FLioy9nIs4

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) November 16, 2025

That said, everyone on the floor played or coached with the intention of winning. It wasn’t a clean game by any means, but I still think Herm Edwards would be proud.

The Nets began it by starting Egor Dëmin, Terance Mann, Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney, and Nic Claxton for a fifth straight game. Despite a sloppy start that included four turnovers in the game’s first five minutes, the Nets hung with the Wiz Kids, as both teams canned five threes and finished the first quarter tied 28-28.

Brooklyn turned it over again during their first possession of the second half, but also got three straight makes from Drake Powell, who again starred as the marquee rookie tonight. The UNC product had two strong finishes inside maneuvering around Washington’s sneaky length at the defensive end along with a jam. He finished the game with six points, an assist, a steal, and four rebounds after shooting 3-of-6 from the field.

THREE STRAIGHT BUCKETS FOR DRAKE @powellxdrake | #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/992yeoKhFL

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 16, 2025

Soon after that sequence, Brooklyn went up 46-38 after MPJ found Tyrese Martin at the top of the key for a triple. The man nicknamed “never swing the rock” was doing so at a high level for a second straight game, recording seven assists tonight, tying the career-high mark he set on Friday vs Orlando. To Jordi Fernández, however, everything’s just going according to plan.

“He has a plan for him to get better and to show things that he hasn’t done before, and right now for him to buy into finishing his cuts, not dancing, not over dribbling, putting pressure on the rim, everybody benefits from it,” Fernández said postgame. “And guess what? Usually, when he does it, he’s the one benefiting from it. So, we want him and need him to play like this, because that’s just contagious and good for the group, so very proud of him.”

While everyone’s naturally a bit more focused on rookie player progression this season, it’s been fun to see the 27-year-old Porter Jr. leverage the newfound attention he’s drawing as a No. 1 option on offense. He also tacked on a season-high 34 points by the end of the night, shooting 11-18 from the field and 3-8 from downtown.

Martin would soon have more to offer, but the Wizards punched back with an 8-0 run down the stretch of the second. However, it didn’t come free. Washington paid for it with Alex Sarr’s availability, who picked up his fourth foul with 2:15 to play in the period. Without their leading scorer on the season, Brooklyn stayed ahead 63-53 at halftime, overcoming 11 turnovers leading to 16 Washington points by that point. After not leading at the break once all season, the Nets did so for back-to-back games. They also shot 58% from the field in the first two periods, giving them their highest field goal percentage in a half all season.

Sarr returned in the second half, although he probably shouldn’t have. He picked up his fifth foul with 8:42 to go in the third, reintroducing himself to the bench and Claxton to a more vulnerable paint. Clax put in seven points in the period’s first five minutes, keeping the Nets in front even as the turnovers continued to stack. He tallied 17 points for the game, and flirted with a triple-double, also grabbing eight boards and dishing seven assists. Claxton also rejected a season-high four shots.

“He’s very hard himself, and he knew that he needed to be better, and he said it,” Fernández said of his starting center. “I think that says a lot about him. He wants to do whatever it takes for the group to be successful and I’m very happy for him.”

Top shelf for Claxton

Watch LIVE: https://t.co/sWMqNZ0hci pic.twitter.com/H716Cp0sKA

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) November 17, 2025

But the Nets, who’ve been accused of playing their veterans too much rather than giving their young guns more minutes to develop, saw the Wizards take a page out of their book in the third. C.J McCollum, wearing the closest color he’s had in his career to Mountain Hawk brown tonight, looked rather heroic for a few sequences, adding 14 points in the quarter, at one point helping Washington cut it to one.

However, Brooklyn again had a rebuttal, with Martin grabbing hold of the mic. After taking over some ball-handling duties at the end of the frame, he got Brooklyn seven points in just four minutes while shooting 3-3 from the field. He also got some help from Day’Ron Sharpe in the process…

Great seal by Day'Ron Sharpe here. Tyrese Martin finishes it. pic.twitter.com/kYF9ff77LT

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 17, 2025

“You get punched, and then you punch back, and those are the moments where you see the growth and the group comes together,” Fernández said. “That’s how you win NBA games.”

Noah Clowney began matching his production as the fourth quarter opened up, hitting two quick threes. The second gave the Nets their largest lead of the ball game with 10:27 to play. Martin even helped him get a third a few minutes later as well…

Tyrese Martin creates Noah Clowney's third three of the quarter pic.twitter.com/lfEaIQH4PU

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 17, 2025

A steal and slam at the other end eventually gave Martin and the Nets a 20-point lead with just under eight to play. Martin finished with a season-high 20 points while shooting 8-12 from the field and 3-6 from deep. He also rejected a career-high two shots after recording just 10 total blocks in his prior 88 games.

Kyshawn George, who like Sarr, saw his minutes stunted by foul trouble, snuck in a three and then a layup right after to make it a 13-point game. But whatever comeback attempt Washington looked ready to make lost its momentum right after, as Sarr finally fouled out, making a transition take foul on Terance Mann in the backcourt.

Things looked in danger of getting chippy for no reason after Mann, who was sitting on the floor after the foul, squeezed Sarr’s leg with his feet, prompting Sarr to stand over him and loudly express his not-so-great opinion of act. But after everyone shot their free throws and moved on, the both teams seemed content on letting this one wind down.

Both Brooklyn’s and Washington’s two-ways soon took the floor, and the Nets wrapped both hands around their second win of the season. It might not feel like one come May, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Final: Brooklyn Nets 129, Washington Wizards 106

Milestone Watch​

• Through 13 games, Michael Porter Jr. has four 30-point games, tied as his second-most in any season (2023-24). His career-high is six 30-point games in 2020-21. He is the 9th player in franchise history to record at least four 30-point outings through the first 13 games of the season.
• Brooklyn scored a season-high 129 points tonight, their most since scoring 132 at Portland on 1/14/25. They recorded a season-high 32 assists.
• After tonight, Nic Claxton’s averages of 15.2 ppg and 3.9 apg this season are career-highs.

Next Up​

The Nets will host the Boston Celtics for the first time this season on Tuesday night at the Barclays Center. Then, they’ll play them again, up in the TD Garden on Thursday evening. Brooklyn hasn’t beat Boston since March of 2023, when they stormed back from down 28.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 129, Washington Wizards 106 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 129, Washington Wizards 106 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernández on 129-106 win against Wizards (Video) – YES Network
• Nets beat Wizards 129-106 in a matchup of 1-win teams, sending Washington to its 11th straight loss – AP
• Michael Porter Jr. goes for 34, Nets hand Wizards 11th straight loss – Reuters
• Nets finally get second win with blowout over lowly Wizards – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets player grades: Michael Porter Jr. drops 34 in 129-106 win at Wizards – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...-wizards-129-106-tryese-martin-michael-porter

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Washington Wizards, 6:00 PM ET

This is THE one — the ultimate tankfest. The battle of two teams who are 1-11 and true to their record. Brooklyn’s lone win came against the only team worse than the two over in Indiana (1-12).

Otherwise, Egor Demin and Drake Powell will lead the charge for the rookies. Danny Wolf, Nolan Traore, and Ben Saraf remain with Long Island. No Cam Thomas either. You’ll be hard pressed to find fans who know every single player who logs time tonight, and that’s often the beauty in these so-called tankfest. The players and coaches are out here trying. And we’ll take it.

KEY INFO​

WHO: Brooklyn Nets (1-11) at Washington Wizards (1-11)

WHEN: 6:00 PM ET

WATCH: YES Network/Gotham Sports App.

Please be respectful with your comments. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...brooklyn-nets-at-washington-wizards-600-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Ben Saraf out, Danny Wolf, Nolan Traore return to Brooklyn

It looks like we’ll see Danny Wolf get some reps in Brooklyn, but Ben Saraf’s injury suffered Sunday in G League action will put him out a minimum of 10 days.

That’s the takeaway from two Nets announcements Monday afternoon. First, the Nets announced both that three of the Flatbush 5 — Wolf, Sarah and Nolan Traore — will be returning to Brooklyn after a four-game stretch, then posted a medical update that Saraf will be out for at least 10 days with a left ankle sprain. Saraf sprained his left ankle in the final second of the first half Sunday in Portland. Maine…

Here’s the play Ben Saraf gets injured. Scary seeing him immediately hop away, hopefully nothing serious! pic.twitter.com/s2qhqgciQz

— Swamp Dragons (@Netswamp) November 16, 2025

Of the three, Wolf has played the best averaging 22.0 points and 10.0 rebounds with shooting splits of 48/39/80. He also registered 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks. Long Island has used him more as a scorer than a point center which is what he played in his year at Michigan. Expect him to get more reps on his return to Brooklyn.

In their last game Sunday, both Saraf and Traore played well. Saraf connected on three of his six shot attempts in the first half, including hitting one of his three tries from deep. He finished the first half with seven points, and four rebounds.

Traore also showed signs of improvement. He shot the ball very well, scoring 17 points, connecting on seven of his 14 shots from the field. Traore got his teammates involved as well, picking up five assists in the process. Despite being a turnover machine in the early going of the season, Traore only had four turnovers Sunday, which is trending in the right direction.

Brooklyn plays again Tuesday vs. the Celtics at Barclays, then heads to Boston Friday for the second half of a home and home

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...ut-danny-wolf-nolan-traore-return-to-brooklyn

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Ben Saraf hurts ankle as Long Island falls against Maine, 127-116

The Long Island Nets returned to the court on Saturday night as they faced off with the Maine Celtics. This game served as a rematch from Long Island’s game with Maine the night before. Long Island didn’t fare to well in that one, as they lost by over 20 points, and looked to right their wrongs on Saturday.

Unfortunately, it was not to be as Long Island once again fell to Maine, 127-116, as one of the Flatbush Five, Ben Saraf, sustained an ankle injury. With one second left in the first half, Saraf appeared to come up lame on a drive and hopped off to the bench. The 19-year-old who started at small forward did not play in the second half. No details yet on the injury or its severity.

Here’s the play Ben Saraf gets injured. Scary seeing him immediately hop away, hopefully nothing serious! pic.twitter.com/s2qhqgciQz

— Swamp Dragons (@Netswamp) November 16, 2025

On Sunday in his pre-game discussion with the media before Brooklyn faced Washington, Jordi Fernandez said Saraf had hurt his ankle and is currently being evaluated by the Nets medical team. No definitive word is expected till Monday.

#Nets rookie Ben Saraf got hurt with a second left in the first half of Long Island's last game playing on G League assignment. He hopped to the bench and didn't return. Told it's an ankle injury and he's being evaluated today. They don't expect an update until Monday. #NBA

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) November 16, 2025

Prior to getting hurt, Saraf was having a decent showing. He connected on three of his six shot attempts, including hitting one of his three tries from deep. He finished the first half with seven points, and four rebounds.

Saraf also had six assists to his name in the first half, clearly on track for a double-double. He also finished the first half with three turnovers, which remains an issue for the Brooklyn rookies. Despite only playing one half, Saraf put his name back into the Long Island history books, as he and Yuri Collins both had six assists to their credit, marking the third time in franchise history that two players had six assists at the same time in a half.

Collins, who started slow, played his best game of the season in Saturday’s loss against Maine. He finished with 11 points, three rebounds, and a whopping 11 assists. Collins, the G League’s best playmaker, thrives on getting his teammates involved and not taking shots himself. He completed three of his eight attempts. He registered three rebounds and four steals.

Danny Wolf remains Long Island’s best point scorer. He led Long Island with 26 points in last night’s game, behind Maine’s Ron Harper Jr. who finished with 31. One of the biggest positives for Wolf last night came in how well he shot the ball. He connected on 10 of his 16 shot attempts, making four of his seven attempts from beyond the arc. A very good shooting game for Wolf who has been used more as a scorer than a point center.

The near 7-footer once again flirted with a double-double, tallying eight rebounds. He also had one block, continuing to embrace the leading big man role on the team. So far, Wolf is averaging 22.0 points on 48/39/80 shooting splits as well as 10.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks. He’s also turning the ball over 3.3 times a game.

The final piece of the Flatbush 5, Nolan Traore, also showed signs of improvement. He shot the ball very well, scoring 17 points, connecting on seven of his 14 shots from the field. Traore got his teammates involved well, picking up five assists in the process. Despite being a turnover machine in the early going of the season, Traore only had four turnovers in this one, which is trending in the right direction.

Grant Nelson made the most of his 15 minutes as well, picking up 11 points and five rebounds and Nate Williams, the 6’6” wing picked up in the Drew Timme trade came close to a double-double with 24 points and eight boards. The 26-year-old Sag Harbor native also registered three assists, a steal and a block.

Overall, there were a lot of positives outside of Saraf’s injury in Saturday’s game for Long Island against Maine. Trevon Scott also got the start as Long Island made some line-up changes, taking David Muoka’s spot. Scott finished with a double-double, tallying 14 points and 12 rebounds. This game also marked the first time this season that six players on Long Island scored in the double digits – Scott, Wolf, Williams, Collins, Traore, and Nelson. Two of those names scored over 20, Wolf and Williams.

Next Up​

Long Island (1-3) looks to get back on track in the Tip Off Tournament at home on Saturday night against the Greensboro Swarm. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on the NBA G League and Long Island Nets respective websites, as well as the YES Network.

• Boxscore: Maine Celtics 127, Long Island Nets 116 – G League
• Game Highlights: Maine Celtics 127, Long Island Nets 116 (Video) – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...ed-as-long-island-falls-against-maine-127-116

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets get close, but not past Boston Celtics, losing 113-99

The Boston Celtics have finally stepped down to the Brooklyn Nets’ level. Well, almost.

Four seasons (or forever) ago, these two teams faced off in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs for back-to-back years. The first series was way more fun than the other, and that’s my totally unbiased opinion.

But after that, Brooklyn got bad, and Boston stayed good. The teams also made their diverging directions clear, with the Nets’ last win vs the Beantown boys coming in 2023. That’s nine straight losses against their short-lived rival.

But tonight, with the Celtics coming in with a 7-7 seven record, hanging just two spots above the Nets in the basement of the East’s standings, it’s the closest they’ve been to each other in some time. Boston’s still in a better spot, with far more rostered talent and a recent Larry O’Brien to keep them warm down there, but they’re no longer a speck of green, barely visible off into the distance.

Be that as it may, it felt like Boston had no clue who the Nets were when the game opened up. The Celtics seemed unaware of Egor Dëmin’s difficulties getting to the rim, as well as Noah Clowney’s crisp shooting of late. On the first swing sequence of the game, the former found the latter for an open three after drawing attention on the drive to free up the shot up. Then on the next possession, Boston flat out let Clowney shoot it again.

Again, Clowney made them pay.

Egor finds Noah for a three on the drive…then Noah walks into another one next time down the floor.

Questionable start from the Boston defense. pic.twitter.com/poMmU3WYfO

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 19, 2025

Brooklyn made scoring in transition an early habit, beating the Celtics in break points 13-0 during the quarter. That, plus Dëmin mixing in two of his own threes, put the Nets up 21-11 roughly halfway through the first. In doing so, Brooklyn threw cold water on Jaylen Brown, who looked off to a masterful start after coming out of the gates firing from the midrange. He still ended up going off 29 points on 9-19 shooting, however.

But as one Boston guard momentarily chilled, the other heated up. Payton Pritchard dropped 11 points in the first to lead both teams early. Leveraging the defense, now queued in on shooting touch, Pritchard also assisted on a Neemias Queta bucket that tied the game 29-29 at the end of the frame.

Drake Powell kept the transition game going in the second, finding Ziaire Williams in transition with a slick feed on one play and then going coast-to-coast for one of his own the next…

Getting to the basket

Watch LIVE: https://t.co/sWMqNZ0hci pic.twitter.com/xBXuDZlthO

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) November 19, 2025

Powell only finished with three points tonight, but the Nets continued to dictate the game’s pace until halftime, hearing no pleas from the Boston parliament. By the break, they had inflated the fast break scoring disparity to a 22-0 advantage, many started by their season high 12 steals on the evening.

“Our deflections have been up, and you can be a little bit more aggressive with your coverages when your ball pressure and your deflections are up, because if you don’t have those two things first, it’s hard to go and put two on the ball, because now that is too soft of a double team,” Fernández said. “So, trying to find that rhythm. The guys are playing hard, we created enough turnovers and then we got points out of it.”

That they did. The last time Brooklyn had 22 fast break points in a half was on 10/30/23 at Charlotte. For reference, Mikal Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Royce O’Neale played in that game. It was also their sixth most points in a half since they began tracking the stat in 1997-98.

However, Brooklyn had no such control at the other end, as the Celtics shot 12-17 from the field and 7-10 from three in the period. Our next Boston guard, Anfernee Simons, had taken over by that point, dropping eight points in the second. Pritchard continued to hit from “will he, won’t he” range, and that was enough to give Boston a one-point halftime lead, even with Dëmin adding two more triples in the frame himself.

Egor is 4-4 from behind the arc in the first half

Watch and Stream #NETSonYES LIVE: https://t.co/sWMqNZ0hci pic.twitter.com/VHRMz7RjyG

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) November 19, 2025

After a high scoring first half, neither the Celtics nor the Nets brought their offense with them when they came back out of the tunnel. The two teams collectively began the third quarter shooting 2-12 from the field with three turnovers.

Boston, however, momentarily found theirs, pulling to 5-9 shooting in the quarter roughly halfway through it and jumping up by 11 — their largest lead of the game at the time. Meanwhile, Brooklyn’s continued to evade them. They were unable to hit the same buttons they did in the first half, mustering just two fast break points in the period. Until Ziaire Williams hit a triple at the top of the key that made it an 80-72 game, Brooklyn had shot 2-16 from the field and 0-6 from three in the third.

“We fouled a lot,” Fernández said. “So, it’s harder to run when you are allowing free throws…We allowed nine second chance points, so if you don’t rebound, you can’t run…all of those things affected our ability to run.”

In the last two years of Celtics vs Nets bouts, that probably would’ve been it. But again, Boston and Brooklyn? We’re not so different anymore, at least this year.

Helped by Williams, Brooklyn’s bench outscored Boston 16-7 in the third. Day’Ron Sharpe tightened up the interior defense at one end. He also added at least a half dozen at the other, shooting 3-3 from the field in the quarter, and probably more, mixing in a variety of screens to get the offense flowing. The Nets went into the fourth down just four, setting the stage for a fun finish.

Drake Powell hockey assist via his bounce. pic.twitter.com/1bTBxB0cWS

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 19, 2025

A Porter Jr. triple to open up the final quarter quickly made it a one point game. It was good to hear from MPJ, who scored 18 in the first half and just four in the second before that make. The Nets briefly tied the game 90-90, only for Boston to go on a quick 7-0 burst, capped off by a deep Sam Hauser triple.

Down seven and with seven to go, the Nets opted to close with their usual starting five but with Williams in for Dëmin. However, Fernández wouldn’t admit it had anything to do with the rookie struggling postgame.

“Yeah, I see a different game than you guys. I don’t see a struggle out there. I just see, like, you know, everybody turns it over, everybody misses shots. He’s not the only one,” Fernández said. “I make mistakes too when I sub guys at times, so I live with my mistakes. I live with them, and I’m very happy with how they played, how they competed…Very, very happy and proud of the rookies and everybody else.”

Despite it being an anti-rebuild move to swap Ziaire for Egor, what happened next favored the tank.

Helped by a sequence where the Nets gave up three offensive rebounds in one possession, Boston went on an 14-5 run. That was enough to ice things, as was the closest thing we’ve seen to a change of heart from Fernández in terms of a pro-tanking agenda, as he put in Nolan Traoré and Danny Wolf with the Nets only down 12 and still with about two to play.

“Winning starts now,” Fernández said. “I think playing this competitive round of basketball against a very good team, it’s important. A lot of you guys will not see the wins on the standings, and we have high standards, obviously, we want to win. We play to win, we competed to win. But also, the wins are the future Nets that will play in a few years in a winning team are getting their minutes and getting better. So, we figured out how to make our players better and see how they grow. Obviously, minutes are very important, but accountability is very important too.”

Still, Brooklyn’s slow march toward the loss was a tough watch. Nic Claxton couldn’t finish off a potential and-one at the cylinder with the team down seven, and missed one of the free throws. On the next play, Derrick White dribbled the ball of his leg. Rather than getting more fast break points, Brooklyn committed an offensive foul and gave the ball back. Clowney also went 0-2 from the charity stripe a few moments later. They also missed seven straight field goal attempts after that Porter Jr. three.

MPJ once again led all Nets with 25 points after shooting 8-16 from the field and 4-8 from deep, coming up with three steals and six rebounds as well. Sharpe followed him with 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Clowney added 13 points shooting 4-8 from the field and 3-4 from deep while Dëmin captured 12 points, four assists, three rebounds, and a steal.

Again, they were close, almost on the same level, and better than they were yesterday, but not quite there.

“I wasn’t happy with the way we were competing a few games ago, and now, for four straight games, we’ve played a respectable brand of basketball, a competitive brand of basketball, and if that’s the case, we will continue to do that, and we will live with the results,” Fernández said before leaving the podium. “So, we just want our fans, especially here at home, to be proud of what we do. I think nights like tonight, they should be proud of the young guys, or the whole group, the whole group is very young, so that’s how we move on to the next one.”

Final: Brooklyn Nets 99, Boston Celtics 113

Milestone Watch​

• The Nets have recorded a season-high 12 steals tonight against Boston, led by three apiece from Michael Porter Jr. and Day’Ron Sharpe.
• Terance Mann had a season-high seven assists, tied as the fifth most in his career.
• Michael Porter Jr. (22 points) has scored 20+ points in seven consecutive games, the longest streak of his career (previous high of six, twice in 2021 with Denver).
• E. Demin (12 PTS, 4-4 3PT in the first half) is the first Nets rookie to make at least four 3FG without a miss in a half since R. Kurucs (5-5, 1/7/19 @ BOS).
• Brooklyn’s 50.0% (10-20) 3PT in the first half was their highest 3PT% in a half this season. Their 10 3PM are tied for their 4th-most in a half (11, 3 times).

Next Up​

Want more Nets vs Celtics action? You don’t? Well, either way, you’re getting it. Brooklyn will head up to the TD Garden to play Boston again on Friday night, this time in an NBA Cup contest. For anyone wondering, the Nets have two other occasions this season where they’ll play the same team in two straight games — one featuring the Chicago Bulls in January and another against the Miami Heat in early March.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...s-vs-celtics-113-99-michael-porter-egor-demin

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

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Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/general/1...on-netsdaily-will-have-activity-notifications

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

The painful detour that transformed Egor Demin’s rookie season

He couldn’t jump, couldn’t run and was barely allowed to bend his knees. Egor Demin spent part of his summer stuck in a chair, shooting stationary because that was the only way he was allowed to touch a basketball.

What started as a bone bruise toward the end of his time at BYU turned into a tear of his plantar fascia, a debilitating injury in which the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot becomes irritated or structurally damaged.

After participating in the Las Vegas Summer League, the Brooklyn Nets medical staff shut him down completely. When he finally returned, the pain was still there.

And few people knew what was actually going on. Nets general manager Sean Marks revealed the injury on Media Day in late September, and Demin didn’t return to full speed in practice until the Nets were in Macao on Oct. 9.

And yet, he says it helped him. All the frustration, all the limitations, all the days he couldn’t even run down the court. Somehow it ended up working to his benefit, allowing him to pack on some much-needed muscle ahead of his transition to the NBA.

“My mom always tells me everything happens for a reason,” Demin said recently on Jimmer Fredette’s “From the Logo Podcast”, the first time he’s spoken about the injury and recovery in detail. “So that was the moment when I had the chance to gain muscle. I wasn’t running, I was lifting for three hours and eating like crazy. Since the draft, I’ve gained like 12 pounds.”

It might have been discouraging at the time, but Demin says it ended up being one of the best things that could have happened to him

“It was really hard to not play basketball and be super limited at that point. It was a super long process,” Denim said. “But I’m happy I went through it because I had the chance to bulk up and get stronger. It prepared me for what was coming in the NBA.”

One of the only things he could do was shoot from a chair. That eventually progressed to shooting from under the basket without bending his knees. It was all rhythm, mechanics and muscle memory. And maybe that was the reset he didn’t know he needed.

Now, he’s letting it fly with more confidence and efficiency than he ever did at BYU. He shot 27.3% from deep in college. He’s at 38% this year so far and doing it in volume as well. taking five threes a game.

During the Nets loss to Boston, he hit four threes early and finished 4-of-7 while totaling 12 points. He played limited minutes in the second half but so much development is ups and downs.

He credits the Nets coaching staff and the work he put in throughout the summer for his turnaround.

“It comes from the summer work for sure. That was one of my biggest focuses,” Denim said. “People were questioning my 3-point shot a lot, questioning if I would even shoot them. I’m lucky to have a really good coaching staff around me here that wants me to shoot any time I can.”

Egor Demin knocked down four out of his seven 3 pt attempts (57%) tonight. Here he is on @JimmerFTL breaking down his improvements from beyond the arc.@NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/U3Uums29G7

— Tyler Carmona (@TylerCarmona) November 19, 2025

Even Fredette, the top shooter in their alma mater’s history, gave his stamp of approval.

“Man, you’re turning into me,” Fredette joked. “You’re just shooting 3-pointers. I love to see it, it’s phenomenal. Keep up that range. The form looks great.”

Eventually, the conversation drifted to something more personal.

Demin spoke honestly about what the move from BYU to the NBA has felt like. He mentioned that another BYU alum and former NBA player Travis Hansen used to remind him to enjoy the college life while he could, because the NBA life comes with a whole new level of pressure. Hansen eventually became Demin’s advisor and sat with him and his family at the NBA Draft when commissioner Adam Silver called his name on June 25.

“It’s a different level of responsibility. It’s your job, and you can lose it in any moment. It was hard for me to get used to this life where I’m like, OK, I’ve got to be a grown man. I’ve got to approach things much more seriously. And I’ve got to understand the responsibilities I have for myself,” Demin said.

And even with all the new weight on his shoulders, he said the people around him have kept him steady.

“I’m surrounded by people who really want me to succeed. This helped me stay on track and stay healthy mentally.”

Demin also told Fredette that his transition from Provo to Brooklyn hasn’t been flawless. The city’s housing market was the first reality check.

“I paid my rent, which was not easy. It was… it was frustrating.” the Russian teenager told Fredette. “Coming from Utah to New York and paying for rent—it’s pretty hard, I can’t lie. That wasn’t, mentally, the easiest thing.:

Like other young New Yorkers, he’s already had to make with some tough financial decisions.

“I got some clothes. I’ve got to be on the same level with the status in clothes.” he said. “Furniture costs a lot here too. But we’ll see. I’m not planning to buy a car this year, so I don’t think there’s going to be a big purchase. I’m just going to try to be smart with my money and look for the opportunities to invest it and make sure it’s safe.”

But unlike a lot of young people his age, don’t expect him to be doing much partying. Part of that is simply the adjustment, his teammates in Brooklyn are a whole lot different from the guys he hung out with at BYU.

“At BYU, we’d do bonfires, go bowling, hikes, things like that,” he said. “And here, majority of people have families. Some guys have kids, wives, and then everybody’s tired. Nobody wants to really go and hang out. And if they do, it’s—majority of time, it’s a club or something.”

Things are trending up for Demin as he finds his footing in the NBA. On Wednesday, he announced on Instagram that he’s signed on as a “Way of Wade” athlete with Li-Ning, the major Chinese footwear brand.

For the Nets, it’s another sign he’s headed in the right direction and building toward a long, productive career.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-feat...ur-that-transformed-egor-demins-rookie-season

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

DRAFT WATCH #1: The future beckons … expect surprises!!

While a standing room only crowd of 18,018 was watching the Brooklyn Nets vs. the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center Tuesday, a larger number gathered to watch a college ball double-header a few subway stops away at Madison Square Garden, particularly a much-hyped Kansas vs. Duke matchup.

But the big number at the Garden wasn’t the 19,327.fans on hand, but the number of NBA scouts — 67 from 23 teams per Brian Lewis — taking notes. Were the Nets among the 23 who got complimentary tickets from MSG or did they put tickets on their own? It’s a good bet considering that Sean Marks & co. will have a high pick come June and that they sent scouts to every Rutgers home game in New Brunswick last season to watch Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. Marks alone attended at least 10 Scarlet Knights contests. MSG is a lot closer than New Brunswick!

This is how it begins.

The hype around the game wasn’t matched by the actual game. Darryn Peterson, the 6’4” Kansas guard, didn’t play due to an injury, but Cam Boozer, Duke’s 6’10” forward wowed both scouts and fans alike. Along with BYU’s 6’9” wing, A.J. Dybantsa, they form the trio the Nets hope to choose from. All are viewed as franchise-changing, perhaps three Cooper Flaggs in waiting.

By June, of course, that trio could expand with 6’10” freshmen Caleb Wilson of UNC or Nate Ament of Tennessee or perhaps Mikel Brown, a 6’5” point guard from Louisville joining the top candidates. (Unlike last year, there appears to only one international player possibly bound for the lottery: 6’8” wing Karim Lopez who plays for the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s NBL.)

That franchise-changing description is what fascinates Nets fans everywhere, but that fascination is tempered by what took place in the draft lottery last May when they fell from sixth to eighth, a brutal disappointment for everyone. Then after trying to move up, Brooklyn decided not to pay a premium and instead went from quality to quantity, taking five firsts and trading their 2025 second for two future seconds. No one is saying what the price tag would have been to move up but there’s been some informed speculation that at least one team wanted not only the Nets No. 8 pick in 2025 but their first in 2026! Can’t imagine that would have wowed fans.

Now, with 2026 viewed as even better — at least at the top — than the 2025 Draft, interest is high as indicated by a surprising number of mock drafts already posted. So far, the five big mocks we’ve surveyed have a consensus choice for Brooklyn. Three of them like someone outside those three automatic franchise-changers. Hello Caleb Wilson.

(The placement of the Nets pick is a function of when the mocks went up. A few days ago, before the win over the Wizards, Brooklyn had the NBA’s worst record. Now, they’re tied for third and fourth.)

ESPN

Jeremy Woo now has sole control of the worldwide leader’s mock drafts with Jonathan Givony returning to his duties at Draft Express. Woo likes Peterson for the Nets at No. 1, writing:

Peterson missed Kansas’s past couple of games because of a hamstring issue and was described by head coach Bill Self as out for the “immediate future,” which puts his status in doubt for a marquee matchup Tuesday against Cameron Boozer and Duke. While not officially ruled out as of Tuesday morning, that game stood as a major opportunity to show why he has been centered by NBA executives in the No. 1 pick discussion. Peterson’s dynamic three-level scoring, impressive physical tools, defensive tenacity and competitive intangibles place him among the most complete and impactful freshman guards in recent memory. It’s worth noting that NBA evaluators have been underwhelmed by the Jayhawks’ supporting cast thus far, and Kansas will seemingly go as far as Peterson can carry it. There’s room for debate around the No. 1 spot as the season unfolds, but Peterson would likely be the choice if the draft took place today. The prospect of an extended absence, however, would leave the door open for Dybantsa and Boozer to gain ground.

The Nets badly need a player to anchor their team moving forward; they’ve taken five first-round swings in the 2025 draft and are still figuring out how everyone fits long term. Peterson would address their lack of star power and then some.

Bleacher Report

Jonathan Wasserman actually came closest to nailing the Nets preferences in 2025, projecting that Brooklyn would take Nolan Traore (at No. 19); Danny Wolf (at No. 26) and Drake Powell (at No. 27) in his final mock. So, we should pay attention to him!

He has the Nets picking No. 3 and grabbing Dybantsa.

AJ Dybantsa’s signature iso scoring and three-level shotmaking came alive in the second half against Connecticut. He nearly helped carry BYU back from a 20-point deficit by going to work with his pull-ups and fallaways, easily separating using his size, footwork and release point.

He’s still clearly at his best in attack mode using his powerful frame, extension and coordination on drives.

His handle could improve in tight spaces, and the tough shots he takes could turn certain scouts off. Lottery teams may have to nitpick with such a special Tier 1 of prospects that includes Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer.

Wasserman offers a full mock — all 60 slots — and has Nets taking Isaiah Evans, the Duke 6’6” forward at No. 33 and Michigan’s 6’9” power forward Morez Johnson Jr. at No. 52. He also suggests that the 2026 Draft could be the best ever!!

Tankathon

Is it ever too early to check Tankathon? Never! Matt Hoover has created quite the fun site complete with the mock draft simulator which Nets fans will be playing daily, hourly or by the minute come May. He has the Nets picking No. 4 and taking Caleb Wilson.

Hoover doesn’t offer a description of Wilson’s best attributes, instead posting a video of them.

Refreshing.

SB Nation

Ricky O’Donnell admits he’s a fan of Caleb Wilson as well. He, too, has Nets taking the Tar Heel at No. 4. A trend?

I’ve been a fan of Wilson’s long-term upside the last two years, and he’s putting it all together right now at he start of his freshman season at North Carolina. At 6’10 with a 7’4 wingspan, Wilson has enormous defensive potential with his motor, length, and versatility. His ground coverage is such a weapon when combined with his seemingly endless fountain of energy, and watching him defend full court is art. His jump shot has always been shaky, but there’s plenty to work with offensively while it develops. Wilson can drop some great dimes with impressive passing vision, he’s a load to deal with on the offensive glass, and he has some scoring touch in the paint. The tools and the mentality are fantastic, and if the shot ever comes around, this could be an elite role player or perhaps something even greater.

NBADraft.net

Aran Smith has a reputation for being a bit of an iconoclast and indeed, in his latest mock, he has Caleb Wilson even ahead of Cam Boozer! And he thinks Wilson will be the Nets selection at No. 4, just like SB Nation and Tankathon. Here’s what he thinks of Wilson’s strengths.

6’9 talented forward … Good size and length for position … Mobile and very well-coordinated. Covers a lot of ground with his strides. Natural athlete and finishes above the rim with ease. Good body control … Shooting range extends to the 3PT line and has a good release point on shot combined with his size. Shows a midrange fadeaway that’s difficult for the defense to contest … Improved ball-handler and slashes well to the rim … Can score off the ball, reading cut opportunities as well as on the finishing end in transition … Has done a good job of recognizing mismatches, knowing when to post and finding easier opportunities to score as his high school career progressed … Draws fouls at a good rate. Shot 5.2 free throws per game over the Nike EYBL in 2023 … Sees the floor and passes well, knows how to thread the needle, showing good instincts in the high post and in other half-court situations. His ability to see a play ahead of time at his size is tough to match. Pinpoints bounce passes and knows where his cutting teammates are. Leads well in transition and throws impressive outlet passes. Averaged 3.1 assists to 2.4 turnovers per game over the Nike EYBL in 2023 … Good rebounder. Averaged 8.3 rebounds per game over the Nike EYBL and 7.3 (1.3 offensive) rebounds per game at the NBPA Top 100 in 2023 … Has a knack for getting clean swipes on the ball and pokes the ball loose from guards. Good shot blocker and timing as a help defender. Averaged 1.8 blocks per game over the Nike EYBL in 2023 … Averaged 1.4 steals per game over the Nike EYBL and 1 steal per game at the NBPA Top 100 in 2023 … Naturally gifted and impacts the game in multiple areas …

The draft is seven months away and a lot can happen. For example, expect the Nets to try to get another first either at the trade deadline or just before the Draft. Marks has made moves within 48 hours of the draft nine times out of the last 10 years. In the meantime, we will be monitoring things along the way. We might even do so on a regular basis. It’s that important. As Joe Tsai said in September:

“We have one pick in 2026, and we hope to get a good pick. So you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season. But we have a very young team.”

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-draft-rumors-news/101746/draft-watch-i-the-future-beckons

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Drake Powell defends in Brooklyn Nets rookie report — No. 4

Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Jordi Fernández often says some variation of “it’s not just about the rookies, it’s about the whole group.”

He went back to the well after the Brooklyn Nets fell to 2-12 by losing a home game to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night, in which Egor Dëmin played just eight second-half minutes (five before garbage time). Dëmin shot 4-of-4 from deep in 15 first-half minutes, but opened up the third quarter with a couple sloppy turnovers 70 feet from the basket, and at that point, his night was just about over.

Here’s the thing: It really is about the rookies, at least for us. Jordi Fernández does care about the whole group, of course, so when 26-year-old Tyrese Martin ascends from career G League player to potential NBA rotation piece under Fernández’s direction, that’s a big win for both parties.

But it’s probably more truthful than crude to say it doesn’t really matter, at least not relative to the chances of the Nets getting from also-ran to contender. At the very least, reducing the #8 overall pick’s minutes in order to chase a 3-11 record seems short-sighted, no?

“I didn’t just sub him out. I subbed the whole first unit out, and then we made a run. So sometimes, it’s just coaching,” said Fernández about Dëmin’s third-quarter substitution on Tuesday.

This is untrue. Terance Mann exited the game soon after Dëmin, but the other three starters played the next four minutes. I’ve called off the minutes police so far and I do admire going all-out to beat the wretched Celtics at home, but this one seemed a bit odd. I don’t want to be this pedantic with a minutes count for each of the next 68 games, but, well, this season is about the rookies.

Egor Dëmin​

Season stats: 13 GP, 20.7 MPG, 7.4/3.0/3.4 slash line, 38/38/89 shooting splits. 1.7 TO + 1.7 PF + 1.0 stock (stl+blk) per game.

Stats this week: 3 GP, 20.4 MPG, 8.3/2.3/3.7 slash line. 8-of-24 from field, 6-of-15 from deep, 3-of-3 FT. Six TO + four PF + two stocks total.

It’s tough to remember a young player exactly like Egor Dëmin. There’s the weight of this rebuild on his shoulders as the franchise’s first lottery pick in 15 years; after every game reporters want to talk to him and ask his head coach about his minutes. He is a 6’9” guard who hopes to grow into the type of passer and shooter who can lead a 3-point heavy offense to 130 points a night. All this stuff isn’t too unprecedented, but for now, his worst moments make him look out of place on an NBA court…

I’m not talking about his long-term potential right now; near every young player talent has flaws that could render him a non-contributor at the NBA level.

It’s just odd to place this kind of hope on a young point guard who can look stuck in the mud on defense or trip over his own feet bringing the ball up the court. Are these negative plays so much worse than a missed defensive rotation or a pass that isn’t made? How bad is a good player allowed to look? How often? Dëmin challenges us (me, at least) to distinguish aesthetic observations from value propositions.

Likewise, not all of his best plays pop off the screen. This first pass, a sharp extra find supporting the notion Dëmin’s passing/processing will add value all over the court, does, but the second one, a simple read of a 4-on-3 break, doesn’t…

Fans and coaches urge Dëmin to put more pressure on the rim, but the Nets often benefit from his habit of giving the ball up as soon as a defender gets in his way. It may just be his best quality right now, other than the 38.1% 3-point shooting. Anecdotally, it sure feels like the ball is going in when he gets an open look, and judging by their closeouts, defenses feel the same way. For a player that shot under 30% from deep in his sole NCAA season, that’s nothing to scoff at.

Drake Powell​

Season stats: 8 GP, 18.6 MPG, 5.8/2.1/1.9 slash line, 49/38.5/100 shooting splits (three FTs). 1.4 TO + 2.1 PF + 1.0 stock (stl+blk) per game.

Stats this week: 3 GP, 21.9 MPG, 5.0/2.7/2.0 slash line. 7-of-16 from field, 0-of-3 from deep, 1-of-1 FT. Three TO + six PF + three stocks total.

I love watching Drake Powell defend. He’s been late on some rotations to the rim, and we haven’t seen him come up with any high-flying blocks just yet, but his jitterbug athleticism clearly plays. Watch him cover ground and slide his feet here…

The last Net I remember consistently playing that sort of defense, with that lateral mobility, was David Nwaba. Brooklyn’s tight loss to the Orlando Magic last Friday featured Powell’s strongest defense of the season, especially his ball-pressure at the point-of-attack. For that reason, I don’t think he’s in danger of falling out of Fernández’s rotation anytime soon…

Desmond Bane has his hands full with Drake Powell. The rookie has wrecked multiple Magic possessions in this first half. pic.twitter.com/ulcGmLDb1r

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 15, 2025

He also played strong defense on Tuesday against the Celtics, where he most frequently guarded Payton Pritchard. Pritchard is one of the better offensive players that Powell actually has a size advantage on, but that doesn’t make it an easy matchup given how well the Celtics guard uses fakes and physicality on his drives.

Pritchard got Powell with one head-fake on a drive, forcing a foul, but the #22 overall pick otherwise stayed on his feet and trusted his length to contest shots. Postgame, when asked what his main defensive focus is coming into games this early in his career, he said, “being the second person to jump off the floor, and I think just continuing to be physical.”

Powell’s athleticism pops, but he brings real defensive technique too.

Offensively, Powell hasn’t had a repeat performance of his 15-point game against the New York Knicks, when he shot 3-of-3 from deep. That’s fine, but I’d imagine Nets coaches want him to be more aggressive in catch-and-shoot situations. We haven’t really seen him shoot over strong contests yet nor have we seen him shoot moving to his right much; those are minor things to watch for moving forward.

Danny Wolf​

Season stats (G League): 4 GP, 32.9 MPG, 22/10/2 slash line, 48/38.5/80 shooting splits. 3.0 TO + 3.5 PF + 2.1 stock (stl+blk) per game.

Stats this week (G League): 2 GP, 33.5 MPG, 24/8.5/2.5 slash line. 18-of-32 from field, 7-of-14 from deep, 3-of-4 FT. Four TO + five PF + two stocks total.

Danny Wolf, #27 overall pick, shot well from three over a weekend mini-series against the Maine Red Claws. His seven 3-point makes came off pick-and-pops and spot-up opportunities, many of which were well beyond the arc and/or had a bit of movement to them.

Nets fans skimming G League box scores are wondering why the 21-year-old is still a G League regular, only playing NBA garbage time when he gets called up to Brooklyn. Regardless of his G League play, I agree Wolf should be seeing real NBA pretty soon. However, his play in Long Island is a bit less impressive than the numbers indicate, and that might be why he’s stuck in Nassau County.

Long Island is just 1-3, so it’s too early to draw any major conclusions from on/off splits and the like, but it is worth noting that despite Wolf’s big box scores, the team has been largely better when he’s off the court. This is mainly due to his defense. Wolf’s best defensive moments have come in switching situations, doing well to keep pace with quicker ball-handlers, but everything else has been a mixed bag, whether off the ball or in pick-and-roll coverage…

Wolf's best defensive attribute so far has been his hands + using his length to contain guards in switch situations, but using his size to be a force around the rim will be an emphasis point: pic.twitter.com/scjN6THvm2

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) November 20, 2025

On draft day, Wolf was lumped in with the rest of Brooklyn’s picks as it seemed like the front office heavily indexed players with a high-assist rate, players eager to move the ball. General Manager Sean Marks referenced “0.5 basketball,” repeatedly in the coming weeks (the concept of making a shoot/pass/attack decision within 0.5 seconds of catching the rock.)

Though four G League games, Wolf has dropped a couple quick-decision dimes, either in the short-roll or while parked in the middle of a zone defense. Otherwise, he’s been a bit of a ball-pounder, not a huge surprise if you watched him at the University of Michigan. He’s never going to be one to explode to the rim, rather he’ll plod and herky-jerk his way downhill, but I imagine the Nets would like to see fewer possessions like these…

Wolf was a high-turnover prospect, and as a seven-footer, he’s going to have to contend with smaller players poking at his dribble. Loitering in the middle of the floor, as he does above, only gives them more time to attack.

I’m not saying Danny Wolf has been bad in the G League, nor that he hasn’t shown flashes. You don’t average over 20 points a night by only making negative plays. But if it seems weird that the Brooklyn Nets aren’t playing their 21-year-old rookie who is absolutely tearing up lesser competition, well, that’s not really the case.

Nolan Traore​

Season stats (G League): 4 GP, 24.3 MPG, 14/1/4 slash line, 38.5/19/80 shooting splits. 4.5 TO + 4.0 PF + 0.5 stocks (stl+blk) per game.

Stats this week (G League): 2 GP, 23 MPG, 15/1/4.5 slash line. 12-of-25 from field, 2-of-8 from deep, 3-of-4 FT. Ten TO + five PF + two stocks total.

Nolan Traore is not going to be graded on the same scale as the other four rookies, to be clear. This was probably clear after our last rookie report, when Traore got his first real run of the season in the G League. Traore played better this week, but there not be any sense in giving him real NBA minutes this season. At the very least, he needs to showcase a bona fide G League skill before leveling up in competition, whether it’s scoring, playmaking, or defense.

Traore is facing a mountain to climb in terms of athleticism; he has straight-line speed, but he’s not particularly flexible or strong or vertically gifted. He desperately needs a couple years of NBA weight/agility training, not that it will change his athletic profile completely, but he needs every advantage he can get. Right now, the Frenchman simply needs to build confidence. There are times when his shoulders are slumped, his face expressionless, and you project a sense of despair onto Traore, the can’t-miss prospect in 2024 who in 2025 is in a foreign land playing in empty stadiums for half the money he once thought he’d be making.

But enough doom and gloom. He’s four games into this whole thing, and it was nice to see him hit a tough corner three up in Maine and swagger back down the court while looking at fans in the front row…

It was also nice to see Traore get back to some of the basics against the Red Claws. Like many LNB Élite teams last season, Maine showed Traore two defenders on some screens despite his lack of outside-shooting prowess, and he read these situations pretty well…

Including shots on which he is fouled, Nolan is shooting the ball nearly 15 times a game despite averaging under 25 minutes. Long Island, like many G League teams, plays at a break-neck pace, but this probably isn’t the ideal balance for the 19-year-old. This isn’t how coaching works, but I wish Head Coach Mfon Udofia would tell Traore “try to get ten assists tonight,” or “more assists than shot attempts tonight,” or something like that.

You don’t want to damage Traore’s confidence by telling him not to shoot — especially spot-up threes — but making a bunch of steady passes might be more encouraging than consistently turning it over and/or getting his shot blocked.

Ben Saraf​

Season stats: N/A

Stats this week: 2 GP, 21.5 MPG, 10.5/3.5/4 slash line. 8-of-17 from field, 4-of-11 from deep, 1-of-1 FT. Eight TO + two PF + two stocks total.

Ben Saraf sprained his ankle midway through Long Island’s second game of the week, hence the lower minute total despite being moved into the starting lineup ahead of Traore. (I assume he was originally coming off the bench because he was with the big-league squad while Traore was practicing with Long Island). Brooklyn announced that he will be re-evaluated right around Thanksgiving.

Before the injury though, he had some bright moments and some struggles up in Maine. The 4-of-11 from three was a good sign, and he is not shy to take those shots whether or not they’re going in.

In terms of his ball-handling, I think the NBA’s strict “no early-clock mid-range shots unless you are Kevin Durant” zeitgeist is a major adjustment for him. When Saraf handled the pick-and-roll for Ratiopharm Ulm, those middies were a big source of his scoring, and he relied on them as a counter. At 6’6” with sharp footwork and handles, he was pretty good about finding these shots, but he only made them at an average clip. Any NBA team would encourage him to get all the way to the rim instead of taking some of these shots.

Now it’s about getting to the rim effectively, a process Saraf is still figuring out…

Saraf's poor outside shot hasn't actually prevented him from getting into the paint much. He's been pretty good moving off the ball, attacking closeouts, etc.

Has more craft closer to the perimeter, the handle/physicality/anticipating defender's movements en route to the rim. So… pic.twitter.com/eaP6L9RWen

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) November 16, 2025

When Saraf returns from injury, I’ll be locked in on his finishing/footwork around the rim. He’s not quite able to challenge rim-protectors directly, but then again, most guards are not.

---

Though Ben Saraf is now injured, we’ll still have four rookies on next week’s edition of the Rookie Report. If we get real lucky, three of them might even be getting NBA minutes, though I wouldn’t count on it. Jordi Fernández’s next chance to get annoyed at repetitive reporters will come on Friday night in NBA Cup action, as the Brooklyn Nets travel to take on the Boston Celtics at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-anal...okie-report-week-4-jordi-fernandez-egor-demin

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets vs. Celtics preview: NBA Cup Friday

Still winless at home but filling 99.3% of Barclays Center on average, the Brooklyn Nets fell to 0-7 at the ‘clays Tuesday, losing to the Boston Celtics. The Nets and Washington Wizards are the only teams that haven’t won a home game yet this season.

The Nets will see the Celtics again and our friends at CelticsBlog have the breakdown on Tuesday’s game from their perspective. The C’s are riding a three game winning streak entering tonight’s contest.

Where to follow the game​

YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 7:30 p.m. ET.

Injuries​

No Cam Thomas, Ben Saraf, or Haywood Highsmith. Danny Wolf and Nolan Traore are back with Long Island who play Saturday night at Nassau Coliseum vs. the Greensboro Swarm.

No Jayson Tatum.

The game​

It would be great if Michael Porter Jr could stop being a misogynistic bozo for once, but that’s apparently too much to ask for.

In the meantime, he’ll look to put another good on court performance together. The 20+ points a game streak is at seven as he had 25/6/2/3 on .500/.500/1.000 shooting splits. Porter Jr has gotten a lot of his buckets on the move and when you’re able to score in a variety of ways, it prevents your team from falling into too deep of a rut. He’s done incredibly well as the lead option on offense and has shown more of his game in this new context.

Rebounding will tell the story of this one. Boston won the battle on the boards by ten on Tuesday night, and their success has been notable in recent weeks. After getting burned on the glass late in games, Boston has gotten more dedicated to improving on that end, as Neemias Queta explained to Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog:

You lose one or two possessions of each game, individually, and then somebody else loses one too, and then you add up, and it makes a big difference. So, everybody looked in the mirror and just thought about making themselves better. And collectively, we’re all on the same page for that.

Limiting those extra opportunities for opponents makes life a lot easier and as Boston looks to climb up the standings, they’ll need to maintain a high level of focus on the boards so they don’t fall behind. Brooklyn is 28th in rebounding this season and they’re going to need to fix that if they want to get a few more wins on the board.

Derrick White does a little bit of everything. He’s moved up the usage rate ranks due to the absence of Tatum and departure of Kristaps Porzingis. The shooting splits are at career lows, but that should fix itself the more reps he gets this season.

But ultimately, this game will depend on Jaylen Brown. JB turned up after halftime on Tuesday as he scored 23 of his game high 29 points after intermission. Brown does everything you want out of your franchise player, and with a chance to possibly make it to the next round of the NBA Cup with two more victories, he’ll be locked in early.

Player to watch: Anfernee Simons​

As the Celtics had to retool this summer due to financial obligations, they were able to acquire Simons from the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Jrue Holiday. He’s said all the right things since coming over and has settled into a bench role. At 26 years old, he’s young enough to be someone the team might considering keeping around when Tatum returns and the team re-enters contention. He’s a guard that can heat up at a moment’s notice and is a perfectly suitable microwave scorer off the bench.

For Egor Dëmin, navigating bumps in the road is all part of the growing pains associated with being a rookie. He only played eight minutes after halftime on Tuesday, and Jordi Fernandez spoke about that along with some other things in postgame

Jordi Fernández on deciding whether to let rookies like Egor play through struggles:

— Lucas Kaplan (@lucaskaplan.bsky.social) 2025-11-19T03:13:40.495Z

For the kids, they’ve got to make the most of their minutes and learn valuable lessons along the way. This is the first night of a three game in four nights stretch that will see the Nets go from Boston —> Toronto —> Brooklyn. Demin played in a three in four nights stretch earlier this month, but two of the games were at home in Barclays Center. It’s a lot tougher for a young player going from city to city with minimal rest and this will be a tough challenge for the youngster. We’ll see how he does.

From the Vault​

We’re on the road to the Survivor Series!

More reading: CelticsBlog, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Boston Celtics Game Notes – Boston Celtics
• Nets visit Celtics Friday in NBA Cup group stage – AP
• Young Nets’ fourth quarter finishes remain big work in progress – Dan Martin – New York Post
• Nets rookies’ biggest wins may not count in the standings yet – Dan Martin – New York Post
• Drake Powell starting to help Nets shore up weak defense – Dan Martin – New York Post
• How Egor Demin is quietly becoming a stabilizing force for the Nets ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Why Egor Demin’s dad broke out in tears over Vince Carter video – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
• Nets rookie Drake Powell explains growing pains in initial NBA season – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY
• Nets’ Day’Ron Sharpe being ready for whatever is asked of him – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-game-previews/101836/nets-vs-celtics-preview-nba-cup-friday

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets knock Celtics in big night for both rookies and veterans, win 113-105

The Brooklyn Nets hoped a second crack at the Boston Celtics would be enough to get them their third win of the season tonight. It was enough for that, a career night for one vet, and some well sought-after rookie progress.

Brooklyn began it with Egor Dëmin, Terance Mann, Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney, and Nic Claxton. It feels like we’re at a point now where we can call that their “usual” starting five. Of the group, Clax and Egor handled the early scoring load, but it was their defense holding Boston to a 3-11 start from the field that put them up as many as seven in the first.

Jordi Fernández compromised with the rebuild-minded fans by bringing both Tyrese Martin and Drake Powell as the team’s first players off the bench. Ziaire Williams and Day’Ron Sharpe followed shortly. That second unit couldn’t give Brooklyn the same boost they did on Tuesday, as Boston closed the frame on a 16-6 run that put them up 28-22 after one.

But the Nets, with a coach who’s always looking for “that fight,” brought it in the next period, where the Nets jumped back in front via an 11-2 run. Drake Powell threw the hardest punch…

Drake Powell yams all over Anfernee Simons pic.twitter.com/pZjoiPbavE

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 22, 2025

Powell’s athleticism was on display at both ends on the floor, shutting down a handful of Derrick White drives. A few efforts drew whistles, but you’ll live with that in a battle between a crafty champ and a 19-year-old.

MPJ and Clowney also got involved in the subsequent period. In a year where he’s made noticeable efforts to put the ball on the floor and attack closeouts, Clowney was pressing all the right buttons in the second, going for 14 points while shooting 5-7 from the field and 2-4 from deep. He also rejected three shots in the first half.

Claxton creates one for Clowney. Noah's made almost all the right shoot/drive decisions tonight. pic.twitter.com/NU8L9JXyYm

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 22, 2025

Impressive as that was, this sequence from Dëmin turned a great quarter for Brooklyn into its most encouraging one of the season. The guard/forward once thought to be terrified of the paint looked comfortable as a seven footer down there, using his height to score and then poke away a steal seconds later…

Nets rookies (and Noah) really putting it all together in the second tonight.

Egor uses the height to attack the basket here. Steal + assist to end the half. pic.twitter.com/snp55ljL78

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 22, 2025

We’ve always known about the passing, but that was display too, as Dëmin finished off the play and the half by finding Clowney. That put him on early triple double watch (9/5/5), and the Nets ahead 62-53 at the break. There’s not much competition, but that still represented their second largest lead at half all season.

While he’s now seen as an unc at the ripe age of 26, it’d be an injustice to not shoutout Claxton for his first half efforts either. He pitched in 12 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in the first half. He was also a game high +20 at that point. More on him later.

The Nets continued to run the offense through Claxton DHOs heading into the third, leveraging the threat he poses as a driver that’s at an all-time high right now. However, they never pushed it into blowout stage. This time, Boston battled back with help from Jaylen Brown, who had nine points in the period seven minutes deep into it.

Boston looked on track to retake the lead until Brown picked up his fifth foul with 5:22 to go in the third. The Nets paid top dollar to vault Boston’s top gun. On the play, Mann took a shot on the face from Jaylen Brown, trying to fend him off of his hip while driving to the basket. That forced Joe Mazzula to feature Baylor Scheierman and Sam Hauser more in the rotation, who Porter Jr. and company picked on en route to a 92-77 lead after three.

Day'Ron Sharpe doesn't have the most controlled closeout here but look how he comes all the way across the court to help force a steal.

Nets running and dunking all over Boston tonight. pic.twitter.com/xqC5tZpBfv

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 22, 2025

But this year, any wins the Nets pull in aren’t expected to be easy, and this one proved to be no different. Boston opened on a 11-2 run to make it a six point game with about eight to play. It was around that time where Brown checked back into the game. The Boston crowd followed, reaching its loudest point of the night after a Simons lay-in made it a four point game. The Nets, the youngest team in the league, started to look the part, fumbling passes and missing box-outs as the pressure mounted.

But what looked to at first be their damnation eventually became their salvation. Dëmin, with no regard for the tank nor the wishes of the many Bostonians in attendance, walked down the floor seconds later and nailed a cold step-back three.

Stone cold shot from Egor Dëmin to silence the Boston crowd at its loudest point of the night. pic.twitter.com/VnwQfunZaL

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 22, 2025

“I think it tells you the type of kid he is, even heeled, not afraid of the moment, shot looks good,” Fernández said of the shot. “I’m not going to always ask for the ball to go in. I think if he shoots it, I believe it’s going in. And it just tells you that he keeps making the right play every time, and when you do it, then those big shots go in.”

The “old guys” then took it from there. Porter Jr. mixed in a variety of tough shots to build Brooklyn’s lead back up. He finished the game with 33 points, two assists, and eight rebounds, after shooting 13-21 from the field and 4-6 from deep. He scored 16 points in the fourth and their final 14 in the game. Claxton found him for two of them that might be the highlight in the night despite the ample competition.

“I think that the cool thing, it was not him by himself,” Fernández said. “It was Terrance setting up the play, Egor screening, giving different looks and getting him open, and then obviously Mike doing the rest, and Nic also with playmaking right there. So he made those shots, but also his teammates put him in the right spots to be successful.”

Claxton finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists. Claxton might’ve had the roughest moment of his career struggling at the line in Boston three and a half years ago, struggling at the line under the postseason spotlight. He also shot 1-9 from the field three nights ago. But tonight, in Boston, he notched the first triple double of his career.

Nic Claxton has a triple double tonight. Here's his 12th assist of the night. Woof. pic.twitter.com/E3OanqMxPf

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 22, 2025

“All the credit to him,” Fernández said of Claxton. “He’s worked on his dribble handoffs, his low levels, his drives to the rim, being aggressive, and put it together. Now, his rebounding is really taking the next step. That’s what I was on him…I’m proud of him. Very happy for him, and without him, we don’t get one.”

After Porter Jr. snuck behind the defense for another dunk that put the Nets up 12 with 1:25 to play, everyone realized the Nets were about to get their first win agains the Celtics since 2023. Time trickled away and Boston didn’t even bother trying to play the foul game.

“We punch back, and it goes from Egor’s big shot and then Mike towards the end going into video game mode,” Fernández said. “But the reality is, we got enough stops and rebounds to survive their punch. And even though we lost the fourth quarter, we did good enough things.”

It’s understandable to have gone into this season wanting the Nets to lose every contest and earn a high chance a top lottery pick this summer. But I’d guess even the most committed tank commanders wouldn’t be mad if the Nets somehow made the playoffs largely thanks to help from their newly acquired young talent.

I highly doubt the Nets will make the playoffs, but part of that dream scenario unfolded in front of them tonight. Dëmin finished with 12 points, five assists, six rebounds, and hit the biggest shot of the game against a geographic rival. Powell locked up defenders left and right en route to nine points and two boards while shooting 3-4 from the field. Noah Clowney, who if you didn’t know, is younger than Danny Wolf, went for 19 points and rejected three shots.

The Nets also beat the wretched Boston Celtics. You’re welcome to disagree with me, but I think it’s okay to enjoy this one.

Final: Brooklyn Nets 113, Boston Celtics 105

Milestone Watch​

• Egor Dëmin had 9 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST in the first half vs Boston, becoming the fifth Nets rookie with 5+ REB and 5+ AST in a single half since tracking began in 1997-98. He joined Drew Timme (2025), Rai’Quan Gray (2023), Terrence Williams (2x, 2010) and Kenyon Martin (2x, 2001).

• Claxton now has 79 career double-doubles, one behind Keith Van Horn (80) for the ninth-most in franchise history.
• Claxton’s triple double is the first triple-double by a Net since Ben Simmons on 1/17/23
• Michael Porter Jr. (21 points on 8-15 FG and 3-4 3PT) has scored 20+ points for his eighth consecutive game, extending his career-long streak. This is also the highest-scoring eight-game span of his career.
• Noah Clowney has tied his season high of 19 points (vs DET, 11/7/25) tonight against Boston. He now has scored 10+ points with 2+ 3PM in eight of his last nine games. His 14.3 ppg (and counting) in this stretch is the highest-scoring nine-game span of his career.

Next Up​

Brooklyn stays on the road this weekend to play the Toronto Raptors on Sunday afternoon. They beat the Nets less than two weeks ago and are early candidates to be this year’s Detroit Pistons, having won nine of their last 10 and sitting second in the East. It’s too early to tell if they’re really that good, and we can’t expect the 2-13 Nets to be their litmus test, but they will play them. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. EST.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 113, Boston Celtics 105 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 113, Boston Celtics 105 (Video) – NBA
• MPJ (33 PTS) & Nic Claxton (18 PTS 11 REBS 12 AST) Were CLICKING vs Celtics (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernández after 113-105 win over the Celtics (Video) – YES Network
• Michael Porter Jr. discusses the Nets’ win over Celtics (Video) – Meghan Triplett – YES Network
• Egor Demin discusses the Nets’ win (Video) – YES Network
• Nic Claxton has 1st NBA triple-double to help the Nets beat the Celtics – Brendan McGair – AP
• Michael Porter Jr. continues torrid streak, paces Nets past Celtics – Reuters
• Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton lead Nets to impressive win over Celtics – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets close strong to stun Celtics at TD Garden ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• The Nets have shown they can compete, now they must close ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• How Michael Porter Jr. is thriving in lead role with Nets after trade – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
• Nets player grades: Michael Porter Jr. closes 113-105 win at Celtics – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...vs-celtics-113-105-nic-claxton-michael-porter

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

NY Liberty to hire Chris DeMarco as head coach

After a two month search, the New York Liberty have their head coach.

On Friday, Shams Charania of ESPN broke the news that Golden State Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco, who comes equipped with four NBA rings, will be the new head coach. He succeeds Sandy Brondello, who led the Liberty to their first championship in team history in her four seasons here.

DeMarco was a late contender in this process. We first learned he was a contender in this race when Madeline Kenney of the New York Post reported the team was considering him on November 18. He leaves the Warriors after spending 13 years with the franchise in a variety of roles. In college, he played for Dominican University before beginning his NBA journey as a coach. DeMarco also serves as the head coach for the Bahamian Men’s National Team where he worked alongside Ole Miss head coach, Yolett McPhee-Mccuin. V.J. Edgecombe is the most prominent member of the team.

DeMarco played a big role as the lead player development coach in Golden State, and in his time there he helped players like Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney, and Klay Thompson reach their full potential. DeMarco also served as one of the lead assistants that ran the Warriors defense. He’s someone that earned the respect of everyone in the locker room and was able to express himself clearly and directly.

“His voice is huge,” Draymond Green said in 2023. “His voice is huge on this coaching staff. Chris DeMarco is one of those guys that’s not afraid to hear his own voice, that’s going to have those tough-ass conversations. He’s not afraid to challenge anyone. And I think that’s a special thing.”

During this process, Sabrina Ionescu reached out to Stephen Curry to learn about DeMarco and what he brings to the table

Chris DeMarco will be on the Warriors’ bench tonight and in near future, but will depart for the NY Liberty head job during this season. Timing TBD.

Sabrina Ionescu reached out to Steph Curry during the hiring process to ask about DeMarco.

Report for NBA Today pic.twitter.com/o5R8BSduIH

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 21, 2025

So far, the hire has been met with rave reviews across the basketball community. Our SB Nation colleague at Breakaway, Noa Dalzell, broke the hire down and what we should know about DeMarco

With this hire, the Liberty continue a pretty interesting trend. The team prioritized NBA experience in their coaching search as all of the final candidates worked as assistants in the Association. And with the coaching cycle complete, there will be more men head coaches in the WNBA than women next season. It’s a tricky conversation, and I walked through a potential blind spot of mine on the topic a while back

It’s a big conversation that I’m sure we’ll revisit in the near future.

Work to do​

DeMarco joins a Liberty team that has a lot to figure out following their early playoff exit in 2025. At his exit interview, General Manager Jonathan Kolb mentioned that the team needs to improve on its offense as it was fifth in offensive rating after top two finishes in 2023 and 2024. The Liberty didn’t get to the rim enough in 2025 and the team hopes DeMarco can help scheme up more shots in the paint for this group. More specifically, Kolb is fully aware of the challenges facing his team and improving competition across the WNBA landscape:

“I think that the game is changing rapidly. I honestly don’t even know it’s the same league as in 2023. I think that we’re seeing a basketball style on both sides of the ball that is rapidly changing, and I think that that will impact our decisions, not only that we made recently, but also roster as we look at our build and making sure that we are not standing still and we provide the right ingredients for whomever sits in that coaching seat to cook with.”

We’ll also see how Kolb reshapes the roster. With most of the league’s veterans entering free agency whenever WNBA free agency actually begins, Kolb and the Liberty will be looking to find players that best fit DeMarco’s vision. Leonie Fiebich and Nyara Sabally are the only two rotation players aren’t entering free agency, and we’ll see how they fit into the new coach’s plans. Fiebich fought through injury and fatigue in 2025 as she took on a greater workload due to the various frontcourt injuries on the roster. Can DeMarco get Fiebich to become a player that attacks more often off the dribble and creates shots for her teammates? If he can, Fiebich’s game can reach new heights. For Sabally, she won’t be playing this winter and will use this time to recover from right knee injuries and hope for a healthier 2026. When she’s healthy, she provides great rim running and a soft touch at the basket.

We’ll have to wait a while for those roster questions to be answered. The Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations between the league office and Players’ Association appear to be at a stalemate with no end in sight. Until that’s resolved, the expansion draft and free agency will be on hold.

With the hire of DeMarco, the Liberty step into a new future. The organization has pushed to make itself one of the best in sports on and off the court. They have shown a willingness to invest and spend to be a place that’s attractive for players, coaches, and fans alike. As they try to rebound from a tough 2025, DeMarco’s hire is the first step in a multipronged plan to make it back to the WNBA Finals. It’s going to be exciting to see where things go from here.

• Liberty to hire Warriors’ Chris DeMarco to end lengthy coaching search – Madeline Kenny – New York Post
• WNBA coaching changes for 2026: Tracking hirings and firings – ESPN
• Liberty hiring Chris DeMarco, a longtime Warriors assistant, as head coach ($) – Peter Sblendorio – New York Daily News
• Liberty hire Warriors’ assistant Chris DeMarco as franchise’s new coach: Sources ($) – Sabreena Merchant – New York Times

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty...ead-coach-golden-state-warriors-jonathan-kolb

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Rodney Rogers has passed away

A member of the Nets family has passed away.

On November 22, it was announced that former New Jersey Net and Wake Forest legend, Rodney Rogers, passed away at the age of 54.

We’re saddened to hear of the passing of Rodney Rogers, a former Net and member of our 2003 Eastern Conference Championship team. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. pic.twitter.com/0hyFtWFxzG

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 22, 2025

Although Rodney was only in New Jersey for two seasons, he was a critical part of the team that made it to the NBA Finals in 2003 and the Conference Semifinals in 2004. Scoring in that era of the NBA was harder to come by, but Rogers provided good scoring punch off the bench and made one of the biggest shots in team history against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2003 playoffs

April 24, 2003: New Jersey's Rodney Rogers hits the game-winner with :02 left and the Nets beat the Bucks, 103-101, in Game 3 of their first round series.

Rogers missed two FTs with :05 left, but Kenyon Martin (23 PTS) tipped the second miss back to Rogers for the go-ahead shot. pic.twitter.com/MMyAEoGwSd

— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) April 24, 2025

Rogers was a solid pro everywhere he went. He was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1993 and helped Dikembe Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and the rest of the team take down the mighty Seattle Supersonics in a shocking upset in 1994.

After a stint with the Los Angeles Clippers in the mid 90s, he found his most individual success. He won Sixth Man of the Year with the Phoenix Suns in 2000 and developed a level of chemistry with Jason Kidd that would continue to blossom when they reunited with the Nets. He ended his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he left a lasting impression on young players such as Andre Iguodala.

His life permanently changed in 2008 when he became paralyzed following a biking accident. However, his kindness and care shined through even through those challenging circumstances.

“The last 18 years have been both challenging and profoundly blessed,” Rodney’s wife Faye said in a statement. “Through every moment, Rodney remained a light — positive, motivated and full of the quiet strength that inspired everyone around him. Our family would also like to express our deep gratitude for the unwavering support from our Wake Forest and NBA families over the years. Your care, presence and kindness carried us more than you know.”

Condolences to Rodney’s loved ones.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-news...s-phoenix-suns-nba-denver-nuggets-wake-forest

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets vs. Raptors preview: Sunday night basketball

Best win of the season so far. The Brooklyn Nets went into Friday night’s NBA Cup matchup looking to get some payback against the Boston Celtics. They did that and plenty more as they came away with a 113-105 win.

The opponent tonight is riding the third longest winning streak in the NBA right now. The Toronto Raptors pushed the streak up to six games after dominating the Washington Wizards on Friday night. The W also punched the Raps’ ticket to the NBA Cup knockout round. Things are looking pretty good in Canada!

Where to follow the game​

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Tip after 6:00 p.m. ET

Injuries​

No Cam Thomas, Ben Saraf, or Haywood Highsmith. Nic Claxton (left elbow sprain) and Egor Dëmin (neck/jaw soreness) are both probable. After big games in Long Island Saturday night, Nolan Traore – 28 points, five rebounds and nine assists – and Danny Wolf – 20 points, six rebounds and five assists – will remain with with the Nets affiliate. Long Island plays again Monday night at Nassau Coliseum.

No Jakob Poeltl. Collin Murray-Boyles is questionable with a MCL sprain.

The game​

Toronto won the first game.

For the Nets, games like Friday where the effort is through the roof and everyone’s playing hard is what people want to see. The results are the results for this franchise, but the process takes on even more importance in a season like this. As long as you play hard every night, fans will (mostly) be happy with what you’re doing.

During the game, I mentioned a Nets player was on triple double watch. Turns out, I was half right! Nic Claxton collected his first career triple double as his 18/11/12/1/1 shined brightly on the big stage. Clax has been terrific for much of the season and we’ve really gotten to see him work well as a hub on offense. It’s been exciting to watch him grow into more of his role and a game like this presents another opportunity to showcase his game. With no Poeltl on the inside, the Raptors will be a bit shorthanded. If Clax and Day’ron Sharpe are able to control the boards, they’ll help the Nets control the flow of this game and create a few extra possessions as well.

Take care of Sandy Brondello for us, Toronto!

We are proponents of dunking on people around here, so Drake Powell your efforts are greatly appreciated

Drake Powell gets the steal and dunks over Anfernee Simons. pic.twitter.com/rusT3QRADG

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 22, 2025

Powell has gotten more comfortable each week and is someone who we’ll keep an eye on. He and Egor Dëmin have been a good guard duo and the more reps they get, the more they’ll continue to improve. They’ll face a tough test in Immanuel Quickley tonight. IQ has shot above 45 percent from the field in eight straight games and has been one of the league leaders in drives in recent seasons. He’ll pose a good challenge to the kids and it’ll be exciting to see how they respond.

With a young rotation, the elimination games in the NBA Cup will be great experience for the Raptors. Head coach Darko Rajakovic is making sure his group is ready for this new challenge:

“It’s going to be a different feeling for us because it’s going to be one game to decide are we going to the final four or not. Definitely, we do have ambition and desire to be there, so I’m really excited about the opportunity to play and our players are as well.”

There’s been so many criticisms of the NBA Cup, but if you get to take part in some high-ish stakes games early, it will help come playoff time.

In the game preview to the first matchup, we made mention of Scottie Barnes’ three point shooting. Since then, he’s only shot 30.8 percent from three point range. However, he did go 3-4 on Friday night against the Wizards. Barnes does a lot of things well, and if he can continue to add to his game, he has a chance to be one of the better young stars in the Association.

Player to watch: Brandon Ingram​

What’s more exciting than one game ending block? TWO game ending blocks!

That’s the good stuff.

Ingram has picked things up during the six game winning streak. Across that stretch, he’s averaging around 21/5/4 on .471/.240/.870 shooting splits. BI has never been an especially good three point shooter, but the Raps can survive if he does everything else well. He’s an especially good finisher at the rim and if he can get to the cup, he can wreak havoc on the Nets defense.

Speaking of streaks, Michael Porter Jr. will look to keep a streak going. MPJ has scored 20+ points in a career best eight straight games and he’s been incredibly efficient while doing so. His 16 fourth quarter points saved the day and kept the Celtics at bay. It’s not easy scaling all the way up on offense in the ways that Porter Jr has been asked to, and he deserves plenty of credit for meeting the challenge and keeping the offense afloat. This is the first night of a tough back-to-back for the Nets, and if MPJ can keep up his recent success, the Nets have a chance to surprise a few folks.

From the Vault​

Ones in the air for Rodney Rogers.

More reading: Raptors HQ, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Toronto Raptors Game Notes – Toronto Raptors
• Toronto puts home win streak on the line against Brooklyn – AP
• Michael Porter Jr. bounced back in style when it mattered most for Nets – Bridget Reilly – New York Post
• Nic Claxton’s first career triple-double flashed all the ‘growth’ Nets have waited for – Bridget Reilly – New York Post
• How Michael Porter Jr. is thriving in lead role with Nets after trade – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-game...-michael-porter-jr-scottie-barnes-nic-claxton

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets fall to Raptors in turnover-filled affair, losing 119-109

Pesky tank competitors no more, the Toronto Raptors were still intent on annoying the Brooklyn Nets tonight in Scotiabank Arena.

Toronto, with the Eastern Conference’s second-best record, were eager to reintroduce the Nets to their reshaped persona. While both teams already faced off this season, the Raptors didn’t have the buzz they had when they played two weeks ago, sitting with a 5-5 record and coming off a loss. Since then, they’ve won and won and won, going into Sunday night with six straight.

To emphasize things, the Raptors went up 12-0 to begin the game, keeping the Nets off the scoreboard until the 9:01 mark of the first.

“It just started with our intentions from the beginning,” Jordi Fernández said. “We were not ready to play…We battled back, and we were fighting for the game, but if you put yourself in that situation, it’s just really hard. We came out flat with no energy, and it’s not the way you want to start games.”

The usual suspects started again, but unlike in the Boston game where Drake Powell came off the bench first with Tyrese Martin, it was Ziaire Williams who joined him. They at least helped the Nets counter with a 9-2 run.

It was a good start to the game for Brooklyn’s 3-point shooters who’ve developed a newfound love for putting the ball on the deck and pressuring the rim. Noah Clowney’s continued aggression as a driver led him to nine first period points. Tyrese Martin pitched in 10, tying his career-high for most points scored in any quarter…

Another really strong take from Noah Clowney. Handle looking solid too! pic.twitter.com/XEA3I8hfJd

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 23, 2025

Despite their efforts, the Nets trailed 34-28 going into the second frame. Toronto moved the ball with the confidence that belies runs like that. They assisted on 10 of their 13 first quarter field goals and shot 52.4% from the floor.

The Raptors also started the game 8-14 from deep. That hurt the Nets on the scoreboard and possibly from a tactical standpoint. The Nets looked a bit too queued in on Toronto’s outside shooting capabilities in the second. They conceded the baseline on one too many occasions, looking intent on getting in passing lanes to disrupt their perimeter ball movement but opening lanes to the rim in the process.

The Nets still outscored Toronto in the paint in the first half. While their initial defensive positioning was questionable, their secondary efforts were inspiring. Brooklyn rejected six shots in the first half. Nic Claxton got two of them, as did Williams. Porter Jr. and Clowney got in on the action too, but the latter’s best moment at the rim came on the other end…

Noah Clowney REALLY making the leap (literally and figuratively) here.

Absolutely destroyed Sandro Mamukelashvili. pic.twitter.com/UeE8l2mnve

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 24, 2025

Even with Clowney hitting the Raptors like the Chicxulub asteroid on that play, Toronto led at half 65-58 after getting a dozen from RJ Barrett. Michael Porter Jr. led all scorers at the break, grabbing 14 points in 5-11 shooting, followed by Clowney with nine, who got all his points inside the 3-point line by going 5-10 from the field.

Egor Dëmin experienced a quiet opening half, not getting his first points until around the 10-minute mark of the third when he splashed a three after coming off a screen. He did help out in the rebounding department though, where the Nets pulled off an upset tonight even with Jakob Poeltl out. They beat Toronto on the boards 40-32, winning a battle there for only the third time this year. Their efforts primarily shined through in the third, where they out rebounded Toronto 16-4. After grabbing four offensive rebounds in the entire first half, they pulled down five less than five minutes into the third quarter.

Momentum slowly but surely turned in Brooklyn’s favor as that period progressed. Barrett left the game at the 7:13 point of the quarter and was later ruled out with a sprained knee. About a minute later, Porter Jr. hit his third three of the game to make it a two-point contest with about six left in the quarter. He finished the game with 25 points, four assists, a blocked shot, and a steal after shooting 9-of-18 from the field and 4-of-9 from three.

Michael Porter Jr. with no hesitation

Watch #NETSonYES live on YES & The @gothamsports App: https://t.co/sWMqNZ0hci pic.twitter.com/aKvn00z9W1

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) November 24, 2025

But then, the Nets started giving up possessions, and control of the game. Brooklyn matched their total turnovers for the entire first quarter less than 10 minutes into the third. One could even say they had “butter fingers”…

Terance Mann was hungry pic.twitter.com/2Jl3w0sowC

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 24, 2025

The Nets ended up turning it over 19 times leading to 26 Toronto points. To Toronto’s credit, their blitzes were well-timed and they relentlessly pressured the ball, which Fernández should appreciate.

“We only shot 34 threes with past threes. We didn’t space the floor properly,” he said. “You know, 14 turnovers are mine, so five of them should have been shots at the rim or threes, and if they don’t go in, we have the chance to offensive rebound. And you know, it just didn’t happen. And those five turnovers are probably the key to the game, plus our defensive effort to start the game. So, a lot to clean up.”

Barrett’s replacement also came ready to play. Ja’Kobe Walter put in eight points in seven minutes that gave Toronto’s lead some much needed insurance. They stayed in front 87-82 going into the fourth, helped by a buzzer-beating turn around jumper from Scottie Barnes. He ended up leading the Raptors with 17 points after shooting 6-13 from the field. He also tallied four blocked shots, two steals, seven rebounds, and four assists.

But next it was Martin’s turn to provide an off-the-bench punch. Moving around Day’Ron Sharpe screens like a calm quarterback in a collapsing pocket, the all-purpose 26-year-old found his way to eight points in the period’s first three minutes. His second triple of the period tied game 94-94 with 9:15 to go.

TYRESE MARTIN. TIE GAME. pic.twitter.com/K0j3kUor61

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 24, 2025

Martin ended up leading the Nets with 26 points for game after shooting 7-of-14 from the field and 5-of-7 from three. The five triples and his total scoring output were each second-bests for his career. The Nets and Raptors each matched their next 10 points, keeping us tied at 104-104 as time trickled down to the 3:31 mark of the third.

Fernández featured both Dëmin and Powell down the stretch of the fourth. As well all know, rookie play is often a mixed bag, filled with encouraging leaps and growing pains alike. So, two days removed from their best collective showing in the clutch, Powell and Dëmin showed us the other side of the coin.

Toronto started to pull away when Powell fouled Jamal Shead, putting him at Toronto ahead by a deuce. Brooklyn’s next time down the floor, Dëmin air-balled a deep, but wide open triple.

Neither Powell nor Dëmin had “bad” nights by any means. The 20-year-old Powell finished with six points and two assists in 14 minutes of play. Dëmin shot just 2-of-10 from the field, but still gathered five points, four assists, and three rebounds.

But like Dëmin’s final three in the Boston game, those moments stood out as turning points in the game. Shortly after, Immanuel Quickly made two threes in a row, giving Toronto a 113-104 lead with 2:20 to play.

A Clowney three with 1:13 to play made it a seven point game, but Seton Hall product Sandro Mamukelashvili matched it next time down the floor. Eventually, the Nets ran out of time — and back into the losing column.

“It started with our intentions from the beginning, right? We were not ready to play. If you’re picking and choosing, then basketball gods go, ‘Everything gets in the right place,’ ” said Fernández summing up post-game. “It’s just a matter of our starting unit started 12-0 in the first quarter and 5-0 in the third quarter.

“So to start the first half, in the second half we’re minus-17. And I trust those guys, and those guys have done a great job. We battled back and we were fighting for the game. But if you put yourself in that situation, it’s just really hard. We came out flat with no energy and it’s not the way you want to start games.”

Final: Toronto Raptors 119, Brooklyn Nets 109

Milestone Watch​

• Noah Clowney had his first 20-point game of the season and fifth of his career. He’s tied his season high in scoring (twice, 11/21 at BOS and 11/7 vs DET). This is his second career instance scoring 19+ points in back-to-back games (12/23/24 [19 points] – 12/26/24 [20]).
• Nic Claxton (10 points, 10 rebounds) recorded his team-leading fourth double-double of the season. It is the 80th of his career, which moves him to a tie with Keith Van Horn for the 9th-most in franchise history.
• Claxton had two blocks tonight and now 556 in his career, three shy of tying Derrick Coleman (559) for the 5th-most as a Net.
• Tyrese Martin’s 26 points tonight were the most off-the-bench by a Net all season
• When Michael Porter Jr. reached 21 points, he extended his career-long streak to nine straight games with 20+ points. He is tied with Cam Thomas (3/27 – 4/12/24) and Mikal Bridges (3/23 – 4/7/23) as the longest such streaks by a Net since Kevin Durant’s 14 from 12/4/22 to 1/6/23.
• Brooklyn went 10-of-11 from the free throw line in the first quarter, their most free throws made in the opening quarter of a game since 3/10/24 at Cleveland.

Next Up​

The Nets will play another familiar opponent tomorrow evening, heading back home to host the New York Knicks. They mopped the floor with Brooklyn earlier this month. The Nets haven’t beaten the Knicks since January of 2023.

• Boxscore: Toronto Raptors 119, Brooklyn Nets 109 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Toronto Raptors 119, Brooklyn Nets 109 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernández on 119-109 loss against Toronto (Video) – YES Network
• Frank Isola breaks down Nets’ loss to Raptors (Video) – YES Network
• Raptors beat Nets 119-109 for 7th straight win, 11th in 12 games – Ian Harrison – AP
• Eight score in double figures as Raptors fend off Nets – Reuters
• Nets collapse over final minutes after hanging tough in loss to Raptors – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets player grades: Tyrese Martin drops 26 in 119-109 loss at Raptors – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...vs-raptors-119-109-noah-clowney-tyrese-martin

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets vs. Knicks preview: Monday night basketball

Couldn’t make it two. The Brooklyn Nets went to Canada to take on the red hot Toronto Raptors. Brooklyn fought hard, but Toronto was too much to handle as they pulled away late to extend their winning streak.

The opponent tonight has grand expectations, but things have been pretty rocky as of late. The New York Knicks went south to face the Orlando Magic, but lost 133-121. The loss was bad enough, but they wound up losing another rotation player. More on that shortly.

Where to follow the game​

Double coverage! YES Network and MSG on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 7:30 PM.

Injuries​

No Cam Thomas, Ben Saraf, or Haywood Highsmith. Night two of a back-to-back so we’ll see if anyone else is out. Also, we don’t know if Brooklyn will bring back Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf who’ve played well in their five-game stint in Long Island.

Landry Shamet left Saturday’s game with a right shoulder injury. He was diagnosed with a shoulder sprain and is out. OG Anunoby is out with a strained left hamstring. Deuce McBride missed Saturday’s game due to an illness. He should be good t go tonight.

The game​

The Knicks won the first meeting.

Luckily for the Nets, they’ve got a few days off after tonight. Three games in four nights in three cities across two countries is a heck of a stretch. And with the holiday coming up, the team gets a chance to rest up and spend more time with their families. Just gotta get through tonight first.

Brooklyn’s defense bottomed out in the first meeting, and they’ve been relatively decent ever since. Starting from November 10 onward, Brooklyn has allowed 116.2 per 100 possessions, which is 18th in the NBA. That’s not especially great, but it’s better than the Knicks during the same period. NY is allowing 118.2 points per 100 possessions since the meeting on the tenth, good for 20th in the NBA. The Knicks have big places to go this spring, and they’re going to need to fix that in a hurry. We’ll get a better gauge for this group when Anunoby returns.

MORE DUNKS

Noah Clowney REALLY making the leap (literally and figuratively) here.

Absolutely destroyed Sandro Mamukelashvili. pic.twitter.com/UeE8l2mnve

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 24, 2025

Noah Clowney stocks are through the roof!

He and Nic Claxton will have their hands full on the inside tonight. Mitchell Robinson is coming off of a season low three rebounds on Saturday night, but has been one of the better rebounders in the NBA this season. He’s second in offensive rebounding, averaging almost five o-boards in 17 minutes per game. He’s relentless on the glass and for a Nets team that has struggled on the glass, Robinson could press on a weakness in a major way.

The Nets will also have to contend with Karl-Anthony Towns. With KAT, you often worry that he’ll take himself out of a game with an ill-advised foul, but those moments haven’t been as pronounced. His shooting numbers are down (thanks to a career low 60.4 percent inside of three feet), but he’s getting to the free throw line at the highest rate of his career. The percentages should be back to where we’re used to soon enough, but if he continues to be a foul magnet, look out.

It’s been a while since Brooklyn beat their neighbors in Manhattan. The Nets have lost seven straight games against the Knicks and haven’t beaten them since January 28, 2023. Feels like a lifetime ago.

With the two teams in drastically different spaces, the Mikal Bridges return game won’t really have that much juice attached to it. Mikal’s exit from Brooklyn wasn’t especially acrimonious, but usually there’s some extra oomph when you’re going up against a former teammate that joined a contender. It probably won’t be like that, but Bridges should still be a featured part of the Knicks attack. He plays well of of the All Stars and can heat up in his own right.

Michael Porter Jr can heat up as well, and if he can get on an early heater, he’ll shape the tenor of the crowd at Barclays Center. As we all know, Knicks fans always make their presence felt and if the Nets find themselves down big early, the ‘clays will turn to a Garden party by the end of the first quarter. MPJ has been one of the best scorers in the league this year and a big time outing would help Brooklyn finally pick up a home win.

Player to watch: Jalen Brunson​

When you’re missing so many key players, the franchise player has to put a bit more on their shoulders. Luckily for the Knicks, they’ve got the right man for the job. Jalen Brunson has carried the Knicks franchise since he came to NYC all the way back in 2022, and he’s kept it going ever since. JB is ninth in the NBA in scoring at 28.4 points per game on 48/36/86 shooting splits. Brunson does everything on offense for this group and if the game is close late, put it in his hands and watch him work. The first Nets matchup didn’t require many theatrics as he cut the Nets up for a cool 19 points in 28 minutes. As the Knicks look to get back on the winning track, Brunson will look to assert himself early.

Can’t afford to turn it over in the ways the Nets did last night. They turned it over 19 times, second highest total this season. For Egor Dëmin and Drake Powell, they’ll try to bounce back in an especially tough matchup. As we mentioned earlier, the team has done a lot of traveling the past few days, and I’m sure this is extra taxing on rookies on this adventure for the first time. Brunson is a matchup nightmare on a normal day. Seeing him when you’re exhausted and desperately waiting for a well deserved mini-break? Look out.

From the Vault​

One step closer to the Survivor Series!

And happy trails, Brandon Nimmo

More reading: SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• New York Knicks Game Notes – New York Knicks
• Brooklyn plays New York on 7-game home skid – AP
• Noah Clowney’s ill-advised mistake comes as he’s emerging as Nets fixture – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Knicks left holding their breath as they await Landry Shamet injury news – Andrew Crane – New York Post
• Inside the issues holding Knicks back — and why their next two games will be telling ($) – Stefon Bondy – New York Post
• Knicks might need to lean on Mohamed Diawara far sooner than expected ($) – Kristian Winfield – New York Daily News
• Landry Shamet’s shoulder injury puts Knicks in a bind at wing ($) – Kristian Winfield – New York Daily News

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-game-previews/102042/nets-vs-knicks-preview-monday-night-basketball

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Toronto Raptors, 6:00 PM ET

(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Even the pro-tanking Nets fans can’t be that angry about beating the Celtics on Friday. That puts them at 3-12 on the season — fourth-worst record in the NBA. On Sunday, they’re up against the Toronto Raptors in the first game of a back-to-back and they have their hands full. The Raptors are off to a scorching hot start after losing 52 games last year.

KEY INFO​

WHO: Brooklyn Nets (3-12) at Toronto Raptors (11-5)

WHEN: 6:00 PM ET

WATCH: YES Network/Gotham Sports App

INJURY REPORT​

• Ben Saraf: OUT – Left Ankle Sprain
• Cam Thomas: OUT – Left Hamstring Strain
• Haywood Highsmith: OUT – Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery
• Danny Wolf: OUT –G League Assignment
• Nolan Traore: OUT – G League Assignment
• Jakob Poetl OUT – Injury Management

***

Please be respectful with your comments. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...on-brooklyn-nets-at-toronto-raptors-600-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Danny Wolf has double-double, Nolan Traore 15 and 9 in Long Island loss

The last time the Long Island Nets played the Greensboro Swarm, two days ago, also on Long Island, the Nets walked away with the win. Monday night, despite Danny Wolf’s strong performance, lightning wouldn’t strike twice. Long Island fell to Greensboro, 126-114.

Wolf had another solid game, despite only being third in the boxscore. Wolf shot the ball well, connecting on six of his 11 shots from the field, including making two of his five attempts from beyond the arc, finishing the game with 19 points. Yuri Collins (24) and Nate Williams (22) led Long Island. The big positive for Wolf was his rebounding.

Last season, before trading for Drew Timme, Long Island didn’t have that walking rebound type of player. This year, Wolf has filled that gap. He wound up four offensive rebounds and 13 defensive rebounds, 17 rebounds in total, which was game-high.

Indeed, Wolf’s 17 rebounds matched the franchise rookie record for rebounds in a single Tip-Off Tournament game, and his nine fourth-quarter rebounds marked the most by any Long Island player in a single fourth quarter throughout franchise history.

Wolf has been developing quite nicely for Long Island. Long Island’s head coach, Mfon Udofia, now in his fourth year with Long Island, has been credited with developing Noah Clowney, who just had a career night, Jalen Wilson, and and Timme who after the Nets traded him to the South Bay Lakers for Williams, Monday signed a two-way with the Lakers.

Wolf also finished the game third on the team in assists with five. In his six G League games, he’s averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists. However, he remains troubled by turnovers as he was at Michigan, piling up eight Monday night. That might be a record too.

Nolan Traore had a bit of a quiet game by his recent standards. The 19th pick connected on five of his 14 shots, which was down a bit from last game, where he finished connecting on 11 of his 20 shots. He also connected on three of his nine attempts from deep, finishing with 15 points.

However, where Traore excelled Monday was as a playmaker. He flirted with a double-double in this game, finishing with nine assists. Traore also had two rebounds, one steal, and one block.

Perhaps the best thing about Traore’s game was his lack of turnovers. He had only one Monday night, a big improvement just from last week when he had games of seven and four at the point. . Traore has struggled quite a bit in the early going of this season with turning the ball over.

The overall improvement in Traore’s game got a mention from Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernandez before the Nets and Knicks tipped off at Barclays Center. Fernandez was asked about the rookie’s 28-point, nine-assist, six-rebound game last week.

“Very good performance. [I’m] very happy. I texted [Nolan]. I watched the game,” Fernandez said on Monday. “We want to play a competitive and winning game of basketball. It starts with the habits. I know he saw the ball go in, which are things you can’t always control. But you can control taking the right shots, make the right play. I think he had a 9-3 assist-to-turnover ratio, which is very good, so all those things are positive. Same with Danny [Wolf]. You know, those consistent steps and we want to see this group competing at a high level, too.”

Late in the fourth quarter, Traore had a bit of an injury scare. He took a hard fall and was slow to get up, but remained in the game after being tended to by trainers on the sideline.

The play where Nolan Traore got injured, his left ankle to be exact.

He remained in the game after, but he was slow to get up, but walked off under his own power.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/bH8m8AzAUI

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) November 25, 2025

Yuri Collins, the 24-year-old 6-foot point guard, led the team in points with 24, and also had two rebounds, six assists, one steal, and two blocks to his credit. Second to Collins was Nate Williams, who finished with 22 points, connecting on nine of his 24 attempts from the field. He also had four rebounds, and two assists. After the game, NetsDaily caught up with Williams and spoke about the game.

Nate Williams on tonight’s loss, his scoring, being a ball hawk, and his first month on Long Island.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/VQhla9s1zq

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) November 25, 2025

“I’m just trying to win,” Williams told ND. “I’m just trying to do anything to win. Whether it’s making shots, getting to the basket, getting my teammates involved, playing dirty, drawing charges, getting steals, I just want to win. At the end of the day, that’s my moral of the story. I just want to win and do whatever I can to help the team.”

Williams has night in and night out finished towards the top of the points category, often for the game. When asked about that part of his game, Williams said:

“I’m a well-rounded player,” the 26-year-old U of Buffalo product said. “I work on my game a ton. I can score the ball, I can shoot the ball, I can do everything. I just want to win. Whatever I have to do to help the team win, like Coach Moo gives me the keys to be aggressive, so I’m going to be aggressive. That’s what I have to do to help the team win.”

One of Williams’ best traits on the court is that of a ball hawk. He had three steals in Monday’s game after racking up two the previous game. Williams has now recorded multiple steals in five of his first six games with Long Island, and at least one steal in all six.

“I’ve always been a good defender,” Williams tells ND. “Especially on the ball. So, it’s no surprise to me. I’ve guarded some of the best guys in the world, and did a good job on them. So, this, in the G League, doesn’t surprise me at all.”

The Sag Harbor native also told ND that his first month with Long Island has been “lovely.” “Gelling with the guys, and being on Long Island and back in New York. I’ve been in the Western Conference for the past three years, so just being back on the East Coast and back in New York has been great.”

Long Island’s fifth starter, Tre Scott, had another decent game. He finished with 13 points, four rebounds, and one assist, connecting on five of his 13 shots. He also spoke with NetsDaily following the game.

Trevon Scott on tonight’s loss, earning the starting job, and mentoring the younger players.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/cqdo5RKtNC

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) November 25, 2025

“It’s frustrating,” Scott tells ND. “It’s a super frustrating loss because I think we beat ourselves in a sense. Credit to Greensboro, they have a great roster, but it’s just frustrating. We know we had that game won. On our side we just didn’t do enough.”

Scott came off the bench in the first few games before ultimately earning the starting job following Udofia’s demotion of David Muoka. Scott became the “next man up.”

“It’s just trust the process, you know,” Scott told ND. “There’s going to be highs, there’s going to be lows. No matter how many minutes I play, if I come off the bench or if I start, you’ve got to trust the process. I trust my teammates, the coaching staff, and the decisions they make. I know what I can do and how much I can help the team, so whenever my number or my name is called, I’m going to be productive.”

As a returning player for the Long Island Nets and a G League veteran, he’s also been used by Udofia as a mentor to help the rookies.

“It’s been cool,” Scott explains to ND. “It’s been fun to get to know them, you know, pick their brains a little bit. Nolan, Danny, and even Ben (Saraf) when he was here. They’re all really good guys. Even some of the other rookies, Dre Davis, Hunter (Cattor), whoever else I’m missing. But it’s been fun being able to learn each and every one of their personalities. Being able to learn how I can get them to them in a way and be a leader, and just continue to bridge the gap and bring us all together. It’s been a fun road for me, and I’m looking forward to continuing to do everything.”

Jay Scrubb, another G League vet, led the bench in points with nine while Dre Davis had five. However, Grant Nelson had a tough game, finishing with two points, connecting on his only shot attempt, in his 11 minutes on the court. ND caught up with Nelson to get his thoughts on the game.

Grant Nelson on tonight’s loss, coming off the bench, and his first month with the Nets.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/jsaPVmkXiS

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) November 25, 2025

“We never really clicked together as a team,” Nelson, the 23-year-old 7-footer, said. “On the offensive end or the defensive end. But I think we have a lot to learn. It’s really early in the season, and I think they’re obviously a team, but we’ll just look at this film and get better from it, and I think that’s a win, ultimately.”

Nelson has been coming off the bench. Nelson tells ND that he keeps his mindset the same every game, “just bring the right energy and do everything I can to help this team win.” Nelson continues, “I know that ultimately will help my career.”

Nelson who passed on being selected in the second round back in June so he could sign an Exhibit 10 with Brooklyn, said overall, he’s happy with his decision.

“It’s been great,” Nelson says. “I love this organization. Everything that they’ve said, they’ve been honest, up front. I really respect that, it’s just been great all around.”

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (2-4) will look to get back in the win column as they travel to Atlanta to take on Javan Johnson and the College Park Skyhawks on Wednesday, November 26th. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on ESPN+.

• Boxscore: Greensboro Swarm 126, Long Island Nets 114 – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...ble-nolan-traore-15-and-9-in-long-island-loss