RSS Nets Team Notes

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets can’t get past Cleveland Cavaliers, lose 106-102

BROOKLYN, NY - MARCH 1: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 1, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Kenny Atkinson promised pregame that the Brooklyn Nets would one day “break through.”

“You’re just waiting for that, like ‘When is that gonna happen?’ And you look at it like, ‘Man, is it ever going to happen?’ I’m sure Jordi is going, ‘Man, everyone is saying it’ll happen,’” he said in answer to our Lucas Kaplan’s question. “They play so hard. It’s eventually going to happen with the talent…They got really good coaching, good coaching staff, good front office, it’ll break through.”

Sure, it’s easy to say that when you’re at the helm of a 37-win team, but Atkinson knows what he’s talking about. A billion years ago when he was at the helm for Brooklyn, the Nets lost 62 and then 54 games during his first two seasons. Then, in his third year, they snatched the sixth seed in the East with a 42-40 record.

“That third year when we broke through and made the playoffs, it was almost doubly rewarding, because you went through these real struggles and tough times,” he went on. “Man, I’ll never forget when we clinched the playoffs, it was like you’re winning the championship.”

Atkinson’s words should provide some comfort for Nets fans. It’s been a rocky, uncompetitive season, but it hasn’t been a waste.

However, today’s game was another reminder of how far they still need to go to get that “championship” feeling…and get in the same stratosphere of an fighting for an actual one.

The Nets started this one with their usual group but with Terance Mann in for the resting Egor Dëmin and Day’Ron Sharpe in for Nic Claxton. Clax sat this one out with a right thumb sprain.

Brooklyn also went up against the Cavs without their top rim defender a little under two weeks ago, surrendering 58 paint points in the process. The repeat formula rendered and a similar result, at least early on. The Cavs went ahead on the scoreboard quickly with 10 points inside less than five minutes into the game. Brooklyn exes James Harden and Jarrett Allen collectively picked on the Nets again, combining for 12 first period points while shooting 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-2 from deep.

However, the Cavs weren’t the only ones to benefit from Claxton’s absence. After a slow first few minutes of play from both teams, Grant Nelson and Danny Wolf came in looking to disrupt the contest in more ways than one.

Seeing the chemistry and effective play of this unexpected paring was anything but for Jordi Fernández.

“Yeah, I mean, you already can see the chemistry between Ben [Saraf] and Grant, and even Grant and Danny,” Fernández said. “They played summer league together. He’s been part of the club, you know, the extension of our coaching staff in Long Island, working with them. He’s familiar with what we’re doing, and he’s just a very good basketball player, high IQ, he’s got a great feel for the game, and plays extremely hard. So, you put all those things together, and you know he’s played very well in the two chances.”

In five minutes of first period burn, Nelson and Wolf were +6 and combined for 14 points, two steals, and two assists…

Grant Nelson gets up to finish off this oop. Getting the first opening quarter minutes of his career today. pic.twitter.com/t9GDCymnCD

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 1, 2026

In what was his second career game, Nelson finished with 11 points, four rebounds, three blocks, a steal, and an assist in 20 minutes. Nelson, 23, had been on a minutes restriction in Long Island for the last 16 games he played there. Nelson had missed seven weeks earlier as the Nets performance team treated knee soreness he had suffered since his freshman year at North Dakota State. Those restrictions appear to an end. Since Wednesday, Nelson has played 83 minutes over four games in five days, two for Long Island, two for Brooklyn.

Wolf ended up having quite the afternoon as well. He finished with a 23/5/9 line, topped off with a buzzer-beating three at the end of the first, and some closing minutes with the starters. He even defended the rim well during a few sequences. It was his best outing since the Washington punt game in early February.

Cutting MPJ takes up all the attention here. Danny throws off the last defender with a nice ball fake.

Splashes it at the buzzer… pic.twitter.com/V8OB1KvVmN

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 1, 2026

But aside from rookie highlights, the Nets also had more pep in their step than Cleveland, and frankly, that mattered more than anything else.

Brooklyn’s newfound length via Nelson stalled the Cleveland offense midway through the second, and after a corner three from Nolan Traoré, Brooklyn went ahead with about four to play in the half. With each stop, the Nets gave themselves a chance to get out and push against a Cleveland team at the tail end of a road trip and looking like it. They grabbed eight fast break points in the second, and a 52-46 lead at halftime. Even with just two points to his name, Ziaire Williams was also a game-high +15 at that point.

“You said the length, but it’s also how locked in they were in communication,” Fernández said. “I think Z [Ziaire Williams] was the one right there defensively, got so many deflections. Just being disruptive. We’re disruptive…So great job by that second unit.”

Allen and Harden again put in Cleveland’s first nine points of the next half, but this time, Brooklyn managed to keep pace with a flurry of threes from Porter Jr. and Noah Clowney. The Nets didn’t give up their lead until the 5:10 mark of the third after Sam Merrill nailed his first triple of the game.

Wolf also returned with more highlights in the second half…

Wow. What a dime by Danny Wolf. pic.twitter.com/IrcfULMjYS

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 1, 2026

But Brooklyn’s second unit couldn’t pack the same punch it had in the first half. The beard had an easier time burrowing through Brooklyn’s defense. Saraf’s lack of spacing hurt the Nets at the other end as well. He even had a Ben Simmons moment near the end of the third. He couldn’t hit the wide open three the Cleveland defense dared him to take, but at least he shot it, right?

Seven lead changes in the final period’s opening minutes teased a fun finish few, if anyone, expected us to get. However, the suspense could only last so long. The back-and-forth action ceased in the frame’s latter half as Brooklyn’s offense ran out of answers after Harden got back to dicing up the Net defense. Evan Mobley, who seemed to be the tiredest of Cleveland’s snoozy crew this afternoon, woke up in the period as well, working his way to eight points in the post.

But even as the Cavaliers slowly sailed to a win, the Nets kept the pressure up. Traoré pitched in four points in the fourth, including two via a tough fend-off and turn around finish. MPJ added 10, hitting some of the most “MPJ” shots you’ll ever see. Traoré finished with 17 points and two assists while shooting 7-15 from the field. Porter Jr. tallied 26 points, grabbed five boards, three steals, and two assists while shooting 5-8 from deep.

The Nets even had the ball while down three with 22 seconds to go after Cleveland committed an eight second violation. However, the Cavs opted to foul while up three every chance they had. Then, while playing the free throw game, they sank just enough looks to eventually ice the game.

That’s eight loses in a row. It’s not the “break through,” but we’ll settle for progress.

“I mean, we competed,” Fernández said. “That was our main goal, to give ourselves a chance, and I’m proud of the way we played. We played like a basketball team. I’m proud of the group. Now, it’s go tomorrow, watch some film, clean out some stuff that we could have done better. Right now, it’s night and day, compared to what we went through.”

Final: Cleveland Cavaliers 106, Brooklyn Nets 102

Milestone Watch​

• With 11 points, four rebounds, one assist and three blocks in tonight’s game, Grant Nelson became the first player in franchise history with 10+ PTS, 5+ AST and 5+ BLK across their first two career games.
• Nelson also became the second Net to record multiple blocks in consecutive games to begin their career (Brook Lopez, three straight in 2008) and the second Net with 5+ blocks through two career games (Jarrett Allen, 2017)
• Danny Wolf had a season-high 23 points against Cleveland with nine rebounds, five assists and two steals, becoming the fourth rookie in franchise history to reach such minimums in a game (Chris Morris: 1x in 1988-89, Mike O’Koren: 2x in 1980-81 and Bernard King: 4x in 1977-78).
• Danny Wolf’s 12 points and three 3-pointers in the first half were both the second most in a half in his career, trailing only his highs of 17 points and four 3PM in the first half on 11/29 at Milwaukee.

Injury Report​

As mentioned above, Nic Claxton missed tonight’s game with a right thumb sprain. We know he’s been dealing with that for a while now, but Jordi Fernández mentioned pregame that he got hit against the Spurs.

“He’s going to be out tonight, and then we’ll see how he feels after, so there’s no timetable,” Fernández also added.

Next Up​

Brooklyn is back in action on Tuesday evening, playing the first of two straight vs the Miami Heat. This is Brooklyn’s last baseball-like series of the season. The Nets have lost four of their last five vs the Heat. This one tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET.

• Boxscore: Cleveland Cavaliers 106, Brooklyn Nets 102 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Cleveland Cavaliers 106, Brooklyn Nets 102 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernandez PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Danny Wolf PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Harden scores 22 points with broken thumb, leads Cavaliers over the Nets 106-102 – AP
• Kenny Atkinson confident rebuild will pay off as former Nets team suffers tight loss to Cavaliers – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Danny Wolf and Grant Nelson step up, but Nets’ skid hits eight in 106-102 loss to Cavaliers ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• For young Nets, Terance Mann provides the pro’s blueprint ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. drops 26 in 106-102 loss to Cavaliers – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...and-cavaliers-106-102-danny-wolf-james-harden

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

After a long winter, Jordi Fernández can see brighter days ahead

Nick Cammett/Getty Images

“We really like where we are. We have a process and a plan in place, and everything is going to — like, you cannot control everything, because there’s things that are… you know…”

Jordi Fernández’s voice trails off for a moment, but I do know. We all know. Fernández, near the end of a two-minute answer, is pleading with his eyes: This is as direct as I can be. Eventually, he lands the plane: “Obviously, I want to win every single game, but playing these 25 to compete and then, this summer and how we structure this summer is the best thing. It’s the biggest summer of our lives.”

Fernández used that line last season, but it still hits home. This is, after all, the summer that the Brooklyn Nets are supposed to transition from tanking to ascending, making one high draft pick and scouring the free agent/trade market for win-now players. Now 30 games under .500 in March, there’s no question that continuing to lose games is in Brooklyn’s best long-term interest, but it won’t be for long.

That’s all Jordi Fernández is trying to say, reassuring Nets fans that the team can get blown out by 30 once a week and still be on track, particularly if you mix in some close losses and flashy performances from the rookies. But he’s probably reassuring himself too.

Kenny Atkinson can relate. He posted a 48-116 record in his first two seasons as Nets Head Coach (Fernández is currently 41-101): “You love to stay process-oriented and stick with the process. But you’re going home and you’re taking that L, after the game, it’s hard, especially when they start stacking up. Everybody says, ‘Well, don’t worry.’ Of course you worry if you’re a competitor.”

Atkinson’s first Nets teams were certainly devoid of talent, but the franchise famously didn’t own their draft picks either. There was zero upside to the losing, though it’s not like Fernández takes any immediate solace in ping-pong balls either…

Jordi Fernandez about to blow a gasket, meanwhile most of the Nets fanbase is ecstatic #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/7jlKd2rxrT

— Mike (@Mike_NYY) February 25, 2026

But Atkinson sees the silver lining: “Once you break through, even that third year, when we broke through and made the playoffs, it was almost doubly rewarding, because you went through these real struggles and tough times. And I was like — man, I’ll never forget when we clinched the playoffs, it was like you’re winning the championship. It was crazy, because you can look back at year one, I think we lost like 27 of 29 … it was, like, insane: ‘Are we ever gonna win another game?’”

Things aren’t that bleak this time around. Players and coaches won’t (can’t) admit it, but pressure dissolves when you’re expected to lose. Consider the locker-room reaction to Danny Wolf’s poorly missed free-throw at the end of the loss to Atkinson’s Cleveland Cavaliers…

“Maybe he’s in the weight room too
much, but that miss was crazy” https://t.co/kKOWiUQtgL pic.twitter.com/3MJ8UdFczz

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) March 2, 2026

Of course, it helps when the veterans (MPJ, Claxton, Mann) feel confident in their contract situations, while the rookies and second-chance warriors are starving for a chance to simply get on the court.

Danny Wolf, despite the rough attempt at an intentionally missed free-throw, was in a jovial mood after his career-best 23/9/5 statline on Sunday afternoon. Perhaps that helped him find silver linings in the loss: “I don’t want to say we’re losing team. Obviously, our record is 15-45 but we’re the youngest team in the NBA, and there’s a lot of valuable lessons. And I hate saying you can learn from a loss, because it stinks and it sucks, and losing as a competitor is one of the worst feelings, but with such a young group, I think just the resilience, the fight when you lose to a team by four that you lost to by 40 a couple weeks ago speaks volumes to improvement.”

Now that’s a player who, in the era of player-podcasts, has heard ad nauseam and now understands that the NBA is a business. Sometimes, the business entails losing. It’s also a player in lock-step with his head coach, at least in terms of public messaging.

“Coming here and feeling that we can go up against anybody has to be very important,” said Fernández. “And if you’re up ten, you want to be up 20. If you’re down 20, you want to be down ten. And those things have to matter. We have to be competitive. And it’s not — we’re not gonna, you know, turn a switch and all of a sudden we’re gonna be there. It’s gonna be a process.”

Playing the NBA Draft Lottery probabilities remains the priority, but it’s easy to see where Fernández is coming from. The young players on this roster are expected to contribute to winning next season. When you’re 15-45, executing ATOs may not be as important as the difference between the first and fifth overall pick, but it matters a little.

For all the incessant hand-wringing over the NBA’s tanking “problem,” I quite enjoy this time of year, full of low-stress hoops where a 23-year-old on a 10-day contract like Grant Nelson can stir excitement:

That was a *seriously* impressive first half from Grant Nelson, the defensive activity more than anything.

Sinking down form the wing to block a cutter on the other side of the basket (last play) is something else: pic.twitter.com/pUmH40k592

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) March 1, 2026

Michael Porter Jr. explained it well: “The motivation to make the playoffs might not be there, but the motivation individually, as a player, as a person, to go out there and work on my skills, my leadership skills, and my individual things within the team, that’s still there. So you can’t just throw away a season because you’re not making the playoffs.”

The 2025-26 Nets have six weeks remaining on their schedule, six weeks where Noah Clowney’s 3-point shooting, Drake Powell’s ball-handling, and Egor Dëmin’s driving — among other individual skills — are far more important than the scoreboard. Though I contend that this isn’t as depressing as it’s often made out to be, Jordi Fernández and the Nets want you to know that it’s almost over, that the next chapter is almost here, and they can’t wait to get it started.

“It’s very exciting, and everybody should feel the excitement of the next step: a big 25 games for everybody, and a big, big, big summer.” — Jordi Fernández

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-feat...nandez-can-see-brighter-days-ahead-danny-wolf

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Drake Powell’s grit, Chaney Johnson’s hops give Long Island win in Battle of the ‘Burbs’

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 2: Chaney Johnson #31 of the Long Island Nets stands for the National Anthem before the game against the Cleveland Charge on January 2, 2026 at Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Long Island Nets came into Sunday with a whole new brand look. With Grant Nelson earning a 10-day contract, Ben Saraf getting recalled, and Drake Powell getting assigned to Long Island, this was a completely new look squad. They even just signed a 6’7’ wing, Jahlil White, who grew in Whitesboro, a Jersey suburb of Philadelphia and is a LaSalle product..

Regardless, Long Island still got it done as they powered past the Westchester Knicks in the Battle of the ‘Burbs, 117-111.

The starters on Sunday changed quite a bit from the last game on Thursday night. Sunday’s game saw Malachi Smith get the start at point guard, followed by Tyson Etienne, Drake Powell, EJ Liddell, and Tre Scott. This wound up being a very good starting five for Long Island, despite the head-scratching move of starting the 28-year-old Scott instead of two-way player Chaney Johnson, the team’s youngest player at 23.

For Brooklyn fans looking to the future, the game was a view of the future with both Powell, on assignment, and Johnson, the Nets youngest two-way providing some highlights and some promise. Both spoke exclusively with NetsDaily post-game about their development.

Starting things off with the latest Brooklyn assignee. Drake Powell had a characteristically aggressive game. Powell’s aggressiveness on defense and his athleticism have gotten him to the NBA, taken at No. 22 in the Draft. He’s not afraid to get after the ball, and that was on full display Sunday. On the stat sheet, Powell’s game reads 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal. After the game, Powell spoke with NetsDaily about his performance.

Drake Powell on tonight’s performance, his development, time on Long Island, the Flatbush 5, and his goals.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/njeHnWrBma

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) March 2, 2026

“Just to go out there and have fun,” Powell told ND. “I spent some time down here in the past, two games, it’s just a great group of guys to be around. Ultimately, I’m just happy we came out with the win.”

This marked Powell’s third game on Long Island this season. He has spent the majority of his time up in Brooklyn. When asked where he feels like he’s developed the most, Powell said, “I think, just trusting myself with limited dribbles, and to eat up space. I think my first step is pretty quick; that’s just something I want to continue to get better at.”

Now with Powell assigned to Long Island, for who knows how long, he gets to develop under head coach Mfon Udofia. Udofia has a proven track record of developing some of the Nets bright young stars like Drew Timme, Killian Hayes, Noah Clowney, Jalen Wilson and now Nolan Traore. Powell was asked what it’s like to learn under Udofia.

“It’s a great relationship with him,” Powell explains. “He’s always telling me to just be confident in myself, and that’s really all a player wants, is for a coach to have confidence in them.”

For this season, all eyes have been on the Flatbush 5, the five rookies drafted by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2025 NBA Draft: Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Danny Wolf, Ben Saraf, and, of course, Powell. When asked about his connections with the other rookies, Powell told ND, “No special connections, but Danny Wolf and I did pre-draft together, so we’re in the same ages.”

Powell keeps his goals and development targets short and sweet. “Just to compete. That’s the main thing,” Powell says, “And to ultimately become a two-way player.”

Brooklyn’s youngest and newest two-way, Chaney Johnson, continued his big-time performances. There was certainly a case for him to be the fifth starter with Nelson called up to Brooklyn but that didn’t stop Johnson from going off from the bench. Indeed, his skillset and mentality spells sixth man.

Johnson had another double-double, his second in four games tallying 15 points and hauling in 10 rebounds and handing out three assists. Over the last three games, the 6’8” hyperathletic forward is averaging 21.3 points a game on 74/62/70 shooting splits while averaging 8.3 boards. He spoke with ND after the game about his performance…

Chaney Johnson on his performance tonight, learning under Mfon Udofia, his development, physicality, and his goals.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/UUSu0y4yS1

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) March 2, 2026

“Credit to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he woke me up today,” Johnson said. “Just praying to him before the game. Keeping me grateful. Allowing me to always have fun and not to be too hard on myself because there are people that are wishing they could have these opportunities. Everybody in the G League has to play the game, the sport they love, and get paid for it. So, it’s just a testament to my faith in him and continuing to fall in love with what I do.”

“I feel like my three-ball is getting there,” Johnson told ND. “I feel like I’m having to think a little bit more on defense, so I’m learning and getting more acclimated to the NBA-style of defense. From team-to-team, it’s different, but it’s similar at the same time. Even though it’s different, the principles and where I was with the Cleveland Charge, it’s kind of the same thing, just learning. I’d say just playing a lot more freely.

“Obviously, at the Charge, I was playing a lot more short roles. Here, he’s allowing me to do everything. Coming off ball screens now, long close-out drives, short roll, pick-and-pop, he’s just allowing me to get better in a lot of things.”

One of the most fun parts of watching Johnson play is the physicality of his game. He’s a legitimate 6’8” with a 6’11” wingspan and max vertical approaching 40 inches, according to his former Auburn teammates.

He isn’t afraid to get up there for strong dunks and lay-ups in traffic, as well for blocks. When asked about this part of his game, Johnson said, “It’s very important,” Johnson tells ND. “God’s blessed me with a strong frame. It’s also a testament to the work I put in in the weight room with just everyone on the staff. Someone who has the frame I have, sometimes, I’m not really used to using it, so I’m still learning ways to use my frame and play as physically as I can without getting charges or blocking fouls. It’s a part of the learning curve. So, just getting used to playing, physical, because it is a physical game.”

When speaking off the camera, Johnson told ND that he’s sure he has at least a 40-inch vertical, but when he’s sprinting, he’s positive he gets well over 40 inches in the air. Watching him play, it’s very easy to see why he thinks that. He can get up there with the best of them to contest shots, and oftentimes sending opposing offensive players packing.

“I still want to be a lot more confident from the three-point line,” Johnson explains. “If I’m caught catching the ball, ready to shoot every time, teams are going to have to respect it. It opens up drives, and it will open up teammates. So, to be able to shoot a lot more confidently. A little bit better on defense. Sometimes I get beat on close outs, and just making sure to continue to get in shape. I’m not used to playing 30 minutes a game. It’s fun though, so just all of those things.”

Malachi Smith led the team in scoring, tallying 22 points. He connected on seven of his 15 shots, including hitting both of his tries from deep. Smith also had three rebounds, four assists, and a steal to go with it. Smith has been continuously putting other teams on notice that he may at least be worth a 10-day contract to have a tryout with a team. Kind of like Grant Nelson is doing now with Brooklyn.

Tyson Etienne and EJ Liddell, the other two Brooklyn two-way players in this one, had a total of 14 points each. This was a great turnaround for Liddell, who only notched four points on Thursday night. He once again flirted with a double-double, hauling in nine rebounds. Trevon Scott, the fifth and final starter, picked up 13 points and had five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block to go with it.

The Nets began the game on a 21-7 run over the first 7:09 in the first quarter. Long Island ended the first quarter with a 34-18 lead after shooting 57.1 percent (4-for-7) from long range and holding the Knicks to 26.3 percent (5-for-19) shooting from the field in the first. Long Island extended the advantage to 20 points with a 21-9 run from 2:58 in the first to 8:47 in the second, but Westchester went on a 14-6 run from 6:50 to 3:52 in the second to close the gap. The Nets finished the second quarter without committing any turnovers and took a 63-52 lead into the halftime break.

The Knicks cut the deficit to a single point with a 15-2 run from 9:23 to 5:34 in the third, but Roberts responded by scoring or assisting on 13 of the team’s final 15 points in the third. Long Island’s defense limited the Knicks to 30 percent (3-for-10) shooting from deep in the third to enter the final quarter with an 83-76 lead. The Knicks started the fourth on a 15-6 run and took a five-point lead before the Nets responded with a 10-0 run to regain the advantage. Long Island pulled away down the stretch with a 19-7 run from 5:04 to 1:35 in the fourth to secure a 117-111 victory. The Nets shot 47.8 percent (11-for-23) from deep and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds in the win.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (16-11) now hit the road for their next four games before they finally come home again on March 19th for Brooklyn affiliation night. Now, Long Island gears up for its next game as they travel to North Carolina to take on their old friend, Tosan Evbuomwan, and the Greensboro Swarm. The game tips off at 11:00 a.m. ET and can be watched on the G League website, as well as on the NBA app.

• Boxscore: Long Island Nets 117, Westchester Knicks 111 – G League
• Game Highlights: Long Island Nets 117, Westchester Knicks 111 (Video) – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...s-give-long-island-win-in-battle-of-the-burbs

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets vs. Heat preview: Back on the road

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 26: Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

A brief stop at home before getting back on the road. The Brooklyn Nets came home for an afternoon matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon. The Nets put up a heck of a fight, but ultimately fell short. The losing streak is at eight.

The opponent tonight is in the all too comfortable position of the play-in tournament. The Miami Heat are firmly in the middle of the pack and hope that they do enough to get back to the postseason and go on a miracle run. They helped their cause with an impressive home win against the Houston Rockets on Saturday afternoon.

Where to follow the game​

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Tip after 7:30 PM.

Injuries​

Egor Demin is out. The three two-ways are still with Long Island and both Ben Saraf and Grant Nelson remain with the big club.

Norm Powell is out. Andrew Wiggins is probable. Terry Rozier… yeah he’s got a whole bigger problem to worry about.

The game​

Miami won the first meeting in December.

These teams do it again on Thursday to wrap up the season. Bam does a touch of everything well on the court and that versatility allows him to fill a variety of roles for Erik Spoelstra’s club. With Nic Claxton back in action, the Nets frontcourt will get some reinforcements to contest the former All Star and Gold Medalist.

This sentiment from Bam after a Heat loss to the Utah Jazz certainly applies to the next two games:

“We’ve got to find a way to win even against teams trying to lose.”

Not that Jordi Fernandez is trying lose, but… you know.

With Demin out for the time being, Nolan Traore gets even more minutes to get comfortable. He’ll get the lion’s share of the minutes at point with Ben Saraf serving as the backup. Nolan has done well in his time as a starter while Ben is struggling off the bench.

The key to any great defense is to defend without fouling, and the Heat are one of the best in the league at it. Miami has the third lowest opponent’s free throw rate and is fourth in defensive efficiency. You can always survive with a good defense, so that gives the Heat a leg up as they try to escape the play-in vortex.

Player to watch: Tyler Herro​

The Heat must see something in Herro that I don’t. This is year seven for the Heat two guard and he’s… ok? Like he’s not actively bad or anything like that, but I doubt he can be the lead perimeter scorer on a team that has serious playoff aspirations. Either way, he’ll be out there tonight and looking to poke holes in the Nets defense. Brooklyn has the worst 3-point defense in the league while Herro has been a good three point shooter throughout his career. It’s a recipe for a big night if things break in Herro’s favor.

Terrance Mann figures to start once again as Demin is out with injury. Brooklyn will count on him for some playmaking, but mostly, his job will be to chase Herro around the court and limit any easy opportunities for him. A two game set is a great chance for Mann and the Nets to see what’s working against the Heat offense and adjust for the rematch on Thursday.

From the Vault​

My mic is sounding bugged, Bob Power you there

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

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Miami Heat Game Notes – Miami Heat
• Brooklyn faces Miami, looks to break road skid – AP
• Nolan Traore’s growth as Nets point guard has the NBA taking notice ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets’ Nolan Traoré’s February by the numbers: 67 assists and a new role ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Victor Wembanyama praises potential Olympic teammate Nolan Traore amid encouraging start with Nets – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-game-previews/106729/nets-vs-heat-preview-back-on-the-road

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets overwhelmed by the Miami Heat, lose 124-98

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 03: Ben Saraf #77 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket against Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on March 03, 2026 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets have reached the part of the season where their games fade before the final buzzer. You sit through it. You register the score. And then, after a few days, it’s gone. By this summer, you probably won’t even remember you watched it. There’s no reason for it to linger in your memory.

It’s especially easy for things to blur when you play a team two times in a row, right at the beginning of the home stretch in a lost season, and that’s exactly what the Nets dealt with tonight. They played their first game in their last baseball-esq series of the year against the Miami Heat. It came and went like a passing breeze.

Most teams will match up well against this inexperienced, rebuilding Brooklyn squad, but the Heat felt like a unit built to torment them. No team has played at a greater pace than Miami this season. The Nets, with the youngest roster in the league, naturally prefer to play at a school-zone speed limit, moving at the fourth slowest pace through 60 games.

As expected, the Heat got their way early. They jumped out to 7-0 start and stayed up by six into the second period. They earned seven points on the break and baked seven Brooklyn turnovers into four extra points.

But despite their limited impact on the scoreboard, Brooklyn’s early efforts were admirable. The Nets were mainstays on the offensive glass via Day’Ron Sharpe (of course), Ziaire Williams, and Ben Saraf in the first half. It only translated to six extra chance points, but the focus was evident.

However, Danny Wolf was once again the star amongst the reserves this evening. After a career game vs the Cavaliers on Sunday, he seemed to flash all of his offensive capabilities in a quick sequence down the stretch of the first. He could be seen throwing alley-oops to Day’Ron Sharpe at one point and hitting deep threes the next. Wolf even finished over the 7’0” Kel’el Ware at one point, putting up a 7/1/1 line in the frame while shooting 3-3 from the field.

Lot of Danny Wolf's best moments this year have come with another big on the floor.

Great vision by Day'Ron to find him after he gets free here on the baseline. pic.twitter.com/2RUDW6q5Z8

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 4, 2026

Miami got its lead up to 10, a game-high at the time, roughly halfway through the second. While the Nets fed their opponent a taste of their own medicine with five early fast break points, the Heat played a clean seven minutes of ball to open the period. Brooklyn also went roughly four minutes down the stretch of the frame without a made field goal.

While we know these Nets are accustomed to cold stretches like that, the Heat defense deserves all the credit. They were relentless fighting around screens and their length quickly clogged lanes through the paint.

“A very good defensive team.” Fernández remarked. “Number four, I believe they rank. So, you know, got to be better, and I know our guys are way better than this. So that’s on me.”

Consequently, the Nets went into the break down 69-54, but here’s a Nolan Traoré highlight for your viewing pleasure…

Really tough take from Nolan Traoré against one of the games better guard defenders in Davion Mitchell pic.twitter.com/Bkyd0A5Jiw

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 4, 2026

Traoré led the Nets at halftime with 12 points while shooting 4-9 from the 2-2 from deep. That’s a spot usually occupied by Michael Porter Jr., yet his inconsistent shooting swung in the wrong direction tonight. Through two, he had just seven points while shooting 2-9 from the field and 0-5 from deep.

Things didn’t get any better for him or the Nets once play resumed. MPJ started the second half with four quick misses, and even though the last one was high quality shot, Fernández subbed him out for Williams at the 9:33 mark of the third period. A 7-4 start to it also pushed the Miami lead up to 18 points.

“I want Mike and the first group to play as hard as they can,” Fernández said. “I want to challenge them to do it, because I’ve seen them doing it, especially on the defensive end. If that happens, I can live with whatever happens. If that is there, then you’re being selfless. You’re playing for the team. And, you know, just good things happen. I’m trying to just challenge every guy in different ways.”

However, and once again, the B-side of Brooklyn’s rotational record had all the hits in the second half. The bench scored 14 of the Nets’ 21 points in the third period, with six coming from Williams despite a 1-5 shooting stretch. Sharpe got into double figures with four in the period while Wolf added another pair of assists.

“The second group went in, and they did a really good job,” Fernández said. “They won their minutes, they fought…That’s what I want to see.”

Williams, who as mentioned, came in a bit earlier than everyone, finished the period as a +1. Wolf, Saraf, Sharpe, and Josh Minott managed to break even as well.

That group might’ve made it game, but Tyler Herro, Simone Fontecchio, and Davion Mitchell preferred a the other kind of ending. They mixed in a flurry of threes down the stretch of the third and Miami remained up 15+ heading into the fourth. From there, the Nets only continued to stumble, all the way into their ninth straight loss.

Miami kept poking and pushing the ball down the other way, eventually snagging 20 points off 19 Brooklyn turnovers for the game. They slowly but surely, they stacked points like a tired bricklayer while the clock ran down. The Nets also finished shooting 18.8% from deep, which ranks as their third worst mark in a contest this year.

While things went further off the rails, Grant Nelson got some run in garbage time, though his minutes were more like those of a recent G-League graduate this time around. That being said, the rook did finish with three points, all of which came at the free throw line. Noah Clowney led all Nets with 17 points while shooting 4-8 from the field, 1-4 from three, and 8-9 from the charity stripe. Ziaire Williams finished right behind him with 16 points, also getting the bulk of his points via an 8-9 performance at the line.

Brooklyn’s rookie ball-handlers weren’t so efficient. Traore added 14 points and splashed two threes on four attempts, but also turned it over six times without any assists to counter things out. Saraf managed four dimes, but also had six turnovers.

“They need to grow, watch it and learn from it,” Fernández said. “I know they’re better. There’s not an excuse if their young, I’ve watched them play, and they’re way, way better than 12 turnovers to zero assists. The assists — sometimes if the shots don’t go in, it’s hard to get assists. I don’t know about the potential assist. I have to look at it, but the turnovers for sure, like how they organize the team, how vocal they are, all that it’s important.”

The Nets, collectively, lost by double digits for the sixth time in their last eight. But again, at least it’ll be an easy one to forget.

Final: Miami Heat 124, Brooklyn Nets 98

Milestone Watch​

• With his second block of the night against Miami, Nic Claxton (599 career blocks) has tied Mike Gminski for the fourth-most rejections in franchise history.

Over at Tankathon, the Nets are closer to the overall No. 1 slot than they have been this late in the season during the tank. They’re now tied for the second best odds and a game and a half out of the top spot. Mission accomplished?

Injury Update​

While Dëmin technically sat with “injury management” tonight, Jordi Fernández made it seem like this is a situation where there’s actually something bugging him rather than one where the team is just taking a precaution.

“Right now, he’s not good to go,” he said. “We’ll see what the next step is. It’s important that we manage them. As rookies, they come in, and usually when they do a lot of draft workouts their summer is not perfect because they go through a lot. It’s almost like they’re missing a summer. They do play summer league, but it’s not a real summer. Then you get into training camp, and it feels like you go into playing right away. You see it sometimes; a lot of people talk about the rookie wall. Mentally and physically, there’s a lot of things that still we got to do better to help them overcome the adversity of how and different the NBA schedule is. It’s important that we do what’s best for his body and moving forward for him.”

We’ll continue to provide updates as we hear more about Dëmin’s health status. For what it’s worth, he did travel with the team to Miami.

Next Up​

Let’s run it back. The Nets will play the Miami Heat once again on Thursday evening, also at Kaseya Center. After this one, the Nets will have just 20 games left in the 2025-26 campaign. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m ET.

• Boxscore: Miami Heat 124, Brooklyn Nets 98 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Miami Heat 124, Brooklyn Nets 98 (Video) – NBA
• PostGame Show (Video) – Chris Shearn & Frank Isola – YES Network
• Adebayo and Herro lead Heat to 124-98 victory over Nets in the opener of a two-game series – AP
• Listless Nets handled by Heat as losing streak hits nine with tanking race tightening – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Cold second quarter buries Nets in Miami as losing streak stretches to 9 ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...s-vs-miami-heat-124-98-danny-wolf-tyler-herro