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[Brooklyn Nets]

Michael Porter Jr. understands best ability is availability

Michael Porter Jr. joked recently that he’s become an NBA ironman, but it’s not really a joke. In the last two and a third year, MPJ has missed a total of 12 games, six this season, five last season and one the year before that. Not all of have been due to injuries like the one he missed earlier this season to personal reasons.

What’s not spoken about so much is what it takes for the 27-year-old to get ready for each and every game he does play in … and excel! On Tuesday, Brian Lewis put it this way:

The Nets forward isn’t surprised with what he’s doing. Only how.

Doing it in the wake of potentially debilitating back woes and multiple surgeries, the same injuries and operations that ruined Ben Simmons. Doing it with foot drop, playing in the same brace that stroke victims wear to re-learn how to walk.

So far, so good. Porter is averaging career highs in scoring (25.9) rebounding (7.6) and passing (3.4) whileshocking most pundits, fans, teammates and his head coach with his shot-making.

“He makes open shots, he makes contested shots, and he makes impossible shots,” said Jordi Fernández, who was with Porter for four years in Denver as an assistant.

However, Porter is not surprised. He remembers how he was the top high school player in the U.S. his junior and senior before he had three back surgeries.

“I mean, my expectation when I got drafted — I didn’t really know much about the injuries and how they would have affected my body — was to be the best player in the NBA,” Porter said with his customary frankness. “And injuries had its way with me. But I think determination and resilience has allowed me to be able to still carve out a pretty valuable space in the NBA and play a lot of years.

“But I think that that was my expectation because I knew what I was capable of, and I played against really good players my whole life. So what I’m doing now, it’s not a shock to me. I think that doing it in the way that I’m doing it post-injury, I think that’s a little bit more what I’m proud of, than just what I’m doing, because it’s not a surprise.“

While it may not be a surprise to MPJ, the Denver Nuggets head coach — and former assistant — David Adelman said Monday that the big advantage Porter brings to Brooklyn is that he’s available.

“Michael, we know how talented he is. I think the thing that he doesn’t have enough credit for — I said it in the playoffs — is he plays,” Adelman said.

“With the injuries he’s had, I just don’t think he gets enough credit for how tough he is. It’s not the brand of his game, but it really is to see him day-in, day-out, maintenance himself so he can be available was the most impressive thing for me. Mike has this ability, he always has. But for us, he sacrificed. That’s just the way it was.”

Lewis lays out just what Porter does before each game he suits up from Brooklyn and each game he’s played since his third back surgery in 2021-22.

It left Porter with nerve damage, specifically in his lower spine connected to the peroneal nerve. As a result, Porter still can’t properly lift his left foot. Every single game, he’s had to wear an ankle foot orthosis — or AFO — or risk tripping because the foot doesn’t function properly.

No other player in the NBA wears the AFO.

Of course, there’s always the possibility that MPG will not be a Brooklyn Net a month from now. However, while there have been multiple stories that other teams have expressed interest in Porter, there have been none in which Sean Marks & Co. are quoted as being interested. They are invariably described as “listening.”

In the meantime, Porter is likely to spend his time doing what he has done this year: surprise everyone but himself.

• The toll Michael Porter Jr. has endured to fuel the Nets’ run to respectability ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-feat...r-jr-understands-best-ability-is-availability

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

EJ Liddell goes down with injury in Long Island loss

The Long Island Nets returned to the court on Tuesday night for a rematch with the San Diego Clippers. The last time these two met was Sunday afternoon when Long Island walked away with a four-point win. Unfortunately, lightning wouldn’t strike twice, as Long Island fell to San Diego, 126-125, at Nassau Coliseum. Now, all eyes turn to Nets two-way E.J. Liddell, who went down with a leg injury in the first quarter and didn’t return.

With just over four minutes remaining in the first quarter, with Brooklyn Nets teammates Jalen Wilson, Terrance Mann, and Haywood Highsmith watching courtside. Liddell went up for a shot, which didn’t look like much, but he had a bit of an awkward landing and immediately fell to the floor. Things didn’t look right for him, and he was taken out of the game immediately. Liddell never returned to the game and is expected to get examined on Wednesday. It remains to be seen how much time, if any, Liddell may miss.

Liddell was in line for a huge game before his injury. He had tallied 10 points, connecting on four of his five shots, including going two-for-three from deep. He was certainly feeling himself in this one. He also had two rebounds and one assist in just half of a quarter. This once again shows the player that the Nets signed to their two-way deal in the offseason and exactly why they liked him. He’s reliable, a good shooter, and above all else, a consistent player.

It was an odd game for Long Island. For the first time in a while, none of the Flatbush Five, the Nets five first round picks were on hand. Along with Liddell, the Nets two other two-ways played.

Tyson Etienne scored 16 points in this one. The 6’0” guard connected on just four of his 15 field goals, including hitting three of his 11 shots from deep. Etienne also picked up five rebounds and flirted with a double-double as he picked up eight assists. He also had two steals. Etienne was, however, one of five players to turn the ball over twice, which was tied for the most turnovers on the team. Overall, not an awful game for Etienne.

The third Brooklyn player in the two-way puzzle, Chaney Johnson, made the most of all his shots, connecting on four of his seven attempts, finishing with 12 points. Scoring in the double-digits has become the norm for the 6’7” Brooklyn two-way signee. Johnson, however, whiffed on both of his shots from deep.

Johnson only had five rebounds, his lowest in this three games with Long Island. The Nets sixth rookie also had three assists and perhaps more impressively, three steals. Johnson, who’s a big in every sense of the word, has served his team a bit as a ball hawk. Johnson tied his career high with three steals for the second consecutive game and has recorded multiple steals in each of his first three games with the Nets.

Watching Johnson on the court, he plays like a typical big man role, but has surprised with his shooting. In three games, he’s shot 56/38/67 while putting up 15.0 points, 7.7 boards, 3.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.0 blocks. And in each game, he’s had one of these…

THIS CHANEY JOHNSON SLAM IS TOO COLD @LongIslandNets

ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/E39d0pdtf8

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) January 7, 2026

Nate Williams has played some of his best ball recently after returning from illness. He once again led the team in scoring, picking up 23 points in this one. He finished connecting on eight of his 16 shots, for 50% in the game in shooting. He also managed to hit three of his seven shots from long range and went perfect from the foul line in all three tries. After the game, NetsDaily had a chance to catch up with Williams and talk about him turning his season around after a rocky few games.

Nate Williams on his recent performances, his development, and his goals.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/j2bIRHL94O

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 7, 2026

“It’s the season,” Williams told ND. “It happens. You have good games, you have bad games, everyone goes through it. You don’t just… I mean, some players do. You go on spurts where you have 10+ games with 20, man it happens. But, it is what it is. I just went back to the drawing board, worked on my game, trust my work, and try to perform.”

Acquired in the trade this past offseason that saw Drew Timme sent to the South Bay Lakers, the Sag Harbor, Long Island product came back to the Island as a player with NBA experience, part of the Nets development plan. He was one of several off-season additions who the organization believed could help the Flatbush Five. He’s previously been part of four NBA organizations, playing in 47 NBA games.

The 6’6” 26-year-old wing has also been developing himself at the G League level. When asked about where he feels he developed the most so far this season, Williams told ND, “Shooting,” Williams says. “I feel like my shot has come a lot further than it was in the past. I’ve been making shots at a high clip this year with a lot of attempts. Shooting for sure, and playmaking. I’ve been passing the ball really well.”

Looking ahead, Williams tells ND that his goals for the season are pretty simple: to win. “Just win,” Williams tells ND. “I don’t really care about self goals. I’m not a selfish guy. I just want to do whatever I can to win games.”

Jay Scrubb played perhaps his best game as a Long Island Net in this one. He finished the game with 15 points, connecting on four of his eight attempts from the field. Scrubb also hit two of his six attempts from deep and went perfect from the foul line, connecting on three of his attempts. After the game, Scrubb had the chance to speak with ND about his performance.

Jay Scrubb on tonight’s performance, his development, playing in Turkey, and his goals.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/OLZuf5IdxC

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 7, 2026

“Just getting back to my old self,” the 25-year-old wing told ND. “It’s been a slow season, some would say. But these last couple of games, I’m just trying to keep in my head, just be aggressive. I was a guy who ran this league maybe a year or two ago. Just getting back to that old mentality and getting back to myself, I think that’s the biggest thing for me. My teammates have been harping on me, the coaches, to be aggressive. They brought me in here for a reason, I’m just trying to emphasize that now.”

Scrub stands at 6’6” and appeared in 40 G League games for Maine last season. He averaged 14.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 23.2 minutes per game. Overall, he’s played in 97 G League games, averaging 18.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in 28.2 minutes per contest. Ironically, he was drafted by the Nets at No. 55 in the 2020 Draft then immediately traded to the Clippers for Reggie Perry who played one year in Brooklyn.

Like Williams, the Louisville, Kentucky native has NBA experience, appearing in 24 career NBA games with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Orlando Magic. At the NBA level, he averaged 4.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per contest.

“Physically,” Scrubb said when asked about what has marked his development in Long Island. “I started, before I came over here to Long Island, I was in Turkey. So, I had to transform my body for that. Then, when I came back over here, I had to get in shape on the fly and change things up. I think that was the biggest thing for me, just improving my body and being more durable and being more available.”

When Scrubb was in Turkey, he learned how to “play fast,” he tells ND. “That’s the biggest thing overseas. The ball over here gets stuck in a guy’s hands. Over there, it’s constant movement and things like that. That’s one thing I took away from that game over there, just playing fast and getting to the next action.”

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (3-3) return to the court on Thursday, January 8th, kicking off their first of four home games at the Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada. They will be playing the Wisconsin Herd in this go-around for two games on back-to-back nights. Thursday’s game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST, and can be watched on ESPN+ and the Gotham Sports App.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislandnets/104066/ej-liddell-goes-down-with-injury-in-long-island-loss

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

O Canada! Long Island Nets back in Montreal!

We’re trying to be the North!

The Long Island Nets will kick off their second annual homestand in suburban Montreal on Thursday night with a showdown with the Wisconsin Herd. It’s the first of a back-to-back and the first of four games this season at the Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, part of a partnership between Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment and Groupe CH, owners of the Montreal Canadians.

It’s no longer a canard, as the French Canadians might say. BSE, through their G League affiliate team, are trying to build an fan base in French-speaking Canada while Groupe CH is trying to prove that Montreal is an NBA city. So far, so good … very good.

Last season, the Long Island drew nearly 40,000 fans over six games, selling out Place Bell — and all its custom “Les Nets” gear. This year, there’ll be four, and Morgan Taylor, who runs the business side of things for both Long Island and the Liberty, has not ruled out the Quebec trip as a permanent feature of Long Island’s schedule, though BSE is taking it one year at a time. Nor did she rule out Long Island playing elsewhere overseas…

Long Island Nets VP of Business Operations, Morgan Taylor, previews the Canada trip and outlines the organizations goals and plans.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/GuOizf8IpO

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 7, 2026

“We really want to bounce off of what we did last year,” Taylor told ND exclusively about goals for this year. “Make sure we’re continuing to make it feel like a home game, not only for our players and our staff that are there, but for the CH Groupe, who are our partners in this, and the fans. Last year, we had a record-breaking attendance, with over 7,700 people there. We sold out all of our merchandise with ‘Les Nets,’ and we expect to see people coming back and cheering on our team as if it were a home game.”

As for what kind of numbers she and the organization have in mind, Taylor said they’re “working towards that number” of 7,700 fans per game again. “To kind of meet what we did last year,” Taylor continues. “We are playing on January 8 and 9, which is a Thursday and Friday. Then, we play on Super Bowl Sunday on February 8th. Although that might seem a death sentence for attendance in the U.S., it’s not a big deal in French-speaking Canada.

When asked if it’s a permanent fixture, Taylor told ND the organization is “continuing to take it one year at a time.”

“We’re really excited to be able to expand our game internationally, especially given the diverse roster that we have. It’s really important for us to do so. The G League is very accommodating for teams to be able to play in other arenas, other countries. I’m even hoping we get to play in Mexico City next year. So, we’re taking it one year at a time.”

Taylor said that although there will be two fewer games this season, there will be more community involvement.

“This year, we plan to connect with the community more,” Taylor said when asked what might may be different this year. “We already have another mascot visit to local Laval schools, which we weren’t able to do last year. We’ll also have a clinic during. We did it last year, and we’ll have another clinic this year. The other thing that we’re doing differently is continuing to have fans participate in our fan experiences during the games, the high-five tunnels, and post-game autograph sessions.”

Asked if we might see Canadian citizen Joe Tsai in Montreal, Taylor replied with a smile that “you might not” adding, “We’ll have organizational leaders from Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment in general who will be there. You’ll see other folks there from our team.”

One thing that may be similar — we won’t know till Thursday — is whether the Nets will have a native French speaker player on the court. Last season, it was Killian Hayes, this year it could be Nolan Traore. However, he played Wednesday night in Brooklyn.

Last month. NetsDaily got to speak with Traore, before his call-up, on his potentially playing in French-speaking Canada, whether in January or their second homestand in February.

“It’s great to see them come and support the Long Island Nets,” Traore said on potentially performing in front of his French-speaking crowd. “It’s going to be a good experience for them, and for us too.”

For the Long Island head coach, Mfon Udofia, this will be his second consecutive year coaching in Canada. In December, ND spoke with Udofia about his return to Canada, not only for himself, but also for his team.

“Super excited,” Coach Udofia told ND. “We enjoyed it last year. Just the love and support that we get from the fans. The atmosphere was crazy, electric. It felt like a playoff game every game that we played there. So, we’re super excited, and we’re glad that we’re able to go back there again.”

Long Island Nets head coach, Mfon Udofia, on the upcoming Canada trip.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/YNdpaJSk6d

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 7, 2026

As for whether he’s looking forward to doing anything new or something he didn’t get to do last year, Udofia tells ND, “getting out a little bit more in the community.” “It was so new to us last year that we were just focused on the game,” Udofia continues. “Now we feel a little more comfortable and familiar there now, that we have a little more to sightsee, and see more.”

Looking at the bigger picture, Tyson Etienne talked about what his mindset is heading into the trip: it’s about the game of basketball and expanding it worldwide, even in places not seen as hoop havens.

“We have a responsibility to continue to expand basketball in that region, in that area. Being someone who loves the game of basketball, I want to represent the game at a high level up there, and I want to represent our organization at a high level up there. It’s a great partnership. The energy up there, you can tell they really want basketball up there. Every time we were up there, it was a home game for us. We play some of our best basketball up there, and the fans and the environment had a lot to do with that. But, we’re just very excited to go back.

“To me, it’s one of the main motivations and reasons why I play the game,” Etienne told ND. “I’ve been playing the game my whole life. The game has brought me relationships, experiences, and new places that I couldn’t have dreamed of going to. It’s a part of my responsibility, and all hoopers to leave the game better than they found it. I just want to continue to contribute my art to it. Whatever I can bring to the game and bring to the fans, I want to leave it better than I found it.”

Brooklyn Nets two way player, Tyson Etienne, previews the Canada trip, and his goals for the season.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/pXg9YGVXn7

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 7, 2026

The big picture with the Canada partnership is not necessarily growing the Nets brand; that’s just a huge plus. It’s to grow the game of basketball, and no NBA organization has been as internationally focused as Brooklyn, its last two owners being Russian and Chinese, both the first of their heritage to own an NBA team. The Nets franchise, dating back to its New Jersey days, has played 25 games overseas, more than any other NBA team.

Now, the G League affiliate is doing the same, believing it can develop a fan base 370 miles from Brooklyn …. and 335 miles from Toronto. Groupe CH, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment’s partner, is trying to demonstrate to the NBA that Montreal is ready for an NBA franchise. Groupe CH, the owner of the Canadiens as well as Place Bell and Bell Center, an NBA-sized arena, would presumably have a role in any NBA franchise in Quebec.

Whether they succeed or not, Groupe CH and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment will have proven that Montreal is yet another basketball-loving city, which, as Etienne said, is what the games are all about.

Both games start at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be found on the Gotham Sports App. Thursday’s game will also be shown on ESPN+, while Friday’s can be found on the G League’s official website.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislandnets/104087/o-canada-long-island-nets-back-in-montreal

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets lose thriller vs Orlando Magic 104-103 despite Demin heroics

Jordi Fernández began his postgame presser tonight dispelling the notion that this contest was a “rollercoaster” game.

“I don’t think it was a rollercoaster for us,” he said. “It was 14-to-29 for us; we won by 15 points in the fourth. So, it was an amazing effort to come back, to try to do the right thing and to play with urgency.”

While all else is true, my stomach begs to differ on the coaster categorization. I’d bet anyone watching on behalf of the visiting Orlando Magic would agree as well. And anyone from Egor Dëmin’s family probably felt the same way. The 19-year-old Russian had his best game, at least from the final moments in regulation till three seconds left in OT. Take a look…

the rookie stepping up when it matters.@whoisegor3 | #NetsWorld https://t.co/qeoNrkUsit pic.twitter.com/BaTtivoxwd

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 8, 2026

More on all that later.

Whatever you want to call tonight’s ride for Brooklyn, it started slow. The Net defense looked rather lethargic to begin game no. 34. Service Steel Warehouse says in some cases, it can take as little as three days for iron to oxidize beyond repair, and the Nets supported that claim early on. Their otherwise ferric defense, which we haven’t seen since Sunday, looked quite rusty to begin the game. Day’Ron Sharpe got lost a few times after switches. The Nets also gave up nine first quarter offensive rebounds, pulling down just seven themselves at the defensive end.

However, and miraculously, the Nets still outscored the Magic in second chance points that period. Even with those extra opportunities to score, Orlando shot just 36.4% in the first. Their poor shooting would set a standard for the first half that could make even a 90s basketball nostalgist quease.

Alas, Michael Porter Jr. was a proud nonconformist once more. During and beyond the opening frame, he continued to hit greens like Tiger Woods at Augusta National in ’97. He poured in 12 first period points while shooting 5-9 from the field. He scored or assisted on 15 of Brooklyn’s first 19 points to begin the evening.

12 first-quarter points for MPJ!

votes count triple ️ https://t.co/2uadYF7hez pic.twitter.com/xJgQKPFBvg

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 8, 2026

Our other known bucket-getter, Cam Thomas, didn’t come off the bench until the the 3:48 point of the first. He was part of a hockey line-like change that saw Nic Claxton, Danny Wolf, Nolan Traore, and Drake Powell join him in the first. In his return, Claxton put in seven points on 3-4 shooting in 23 minutes played. He also grabbed six boards, dished four dimes, and blocked two shots.

CT, however, didn’t get his first points until the waining seconds of the first, where he ran down the clock, rocked, an rolled the ball just over a soaring Wendell Carter Jr. to keep Brooklyn within a bucket ahead the second. Thomas remained a non-factor when things sped up in the fourth, finishing with just 10 points while shooting 3-11 from the field.

The Nets seized a brief lead to begin period two, but you wouldn’t have remembered with how the rest of the frame played out. The Magic show in the second was far better than the first, as Orlando managed to shoot 8-19 from the field while the Brooklyn defense continued to look a step behind on its rotations.

Even with Orlando’s offensive resurgence, both teams shot a combined 38.6% form the field and 24.9% from deep. It was a rock fight by all accounts, and the Nets ended up under more of the rubble, behind the Magic at the break by a 48-43 score.

Absent from the first half, and eventually the entire game, was Terance Mann. Every night, there’s a veteran victimized by Brooklyn’s desire to give out development minutes, and this evening, Mann pulled the short stick.

“Yeah, it’s just a matter of having a lot of a lot of players performing well, giving looks at different roles for different players, and he’ll be back,” Fernández said. “So, it’s just a matter of me just seeing those roles and seeing those minutes. That’s pretty much it.”

Now, if Brooklyn really wanted to focus on the rebuild, they’d put Porter Jr. in that position for a night, or even on another team. He made that abundantly clear in the third, reprising his role as Brooklyn’s lone offensive option in, scoring eight of Brooklyn’s first 10 points to start the quarter.

MPJ – "Mean Pull-up Jumper"

Watch #NETSonYES LIVE on YES & The @gothamsports App: https://t.co/sWMqNZ0hci pic.twitter.com/o2KWli7fef

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) January 8, 2026

However, Orlando went on a 21-4 run in the latter part of the period, and quickly shifted the offensive embarrassment solely onto Brooklyn’s side. Had they a few extra seconds to play with, it could have been even worse too…

Yeah…not Brooklyn's night tonight.

(this didn't count but still) pic.twitter.com/tX6EcP5KTT

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) January 8, 2026

Brooklyn’s 15-point deficit to being the fourth set the stage for a period free of competitive pressure and ideal for player development, and the Nets seemed to take advantage, giving Powell, Wolf, and Traore some extended run alongside Claxton and Thomas.

Then, Jordi Fernández did the unthinkable among tank commanders, putting Porter Jr. and the original starting lineup back in the game with a little over five minutes to play. MPJ promptly hit two threes in about thirty seconds to make it an eight point game with 4:56 to go. That helped him get his 10th 30-point game of the season. He had that same amount of 30-pieces in all four of his prior seasons combined.

Two minutes later, Dëmin found Clowney cutting along the baseline for an easy finish that made it a six point game. Dëmin followed that with a three and then Clowney slipped in a fadeaway that made it a one point game. The Nets were on a 17-4 run, and grinding their way to another improbable comeback.

The next time down the floor, Clowney the ball through the hoop, but didn’t score…

There was one square foot in the entire building where Day’Ron Sharpe needed to keep his hand away from to have Brooklyn go ahead, but he stuck it there anyway. As Clowney’s next shot fell into the net, he got caught with his hand in the basket, and tagged with a basket interference violation. That kept things at 91-90 with 1:03 to play.

Noah Clowney scored to give the Nets the lead with 23 seconds remaining but Day’Ron Sharpe touches the ball as it goes through the net.

Offensive basket interference. Shot is no good.

Magic basketball. pic.twitter.com/EUK0lVUgLR

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 8, 2026

But the madness was just beginning. Out of a subsequent Orlando timeout, Tristan da Silva got free for a dunk that put the Magic up three with 16 seconds to play.

Then, the Winter Soldier activated. Dëmin, who’s already made clutch scoring a habit, hit a triple after a Kryptonian rebound from a redemptive Sharpe. Before that, Dëmin hadn’t scored until there were around three minutes left in regulation, but game’s dwindling minutes again called the stone cold Russian into action. He wanted overtime, and got it.

EGOR DËMIN. STONE COLD. pic.twitter.com/VLWoiqgj6x

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) January 8, 2026

Egor had more to say in the extra period, but wouldn’t get the last laugh. After both teams went back and forth for a bit to open the extra frame before Dëmin nailed an even deeper tre after a jump ball to give the Nets their first lead since the 44 second mark of the first quarter. Orlando responded with another dunk, which Dëmin again traded for a three, this one more otherworldly than the rest…

… pic.twitter.com/qxujvRbfFr

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) January 8, 2026

“It was amazing,” Dëmin said of the crowd after his shots. “I thought it was awesome. I think it helped us a lot.”

With all the momentum in the world, that rocking crowd behind him, and a lead that felt twice its size given the game’s nature, Brooklyn looked certain to complete the comeback this time. But the wacky game needed an ending of the same nature. So, Paolo called bank(ero)…

PAOLO BANCHERO CALLS GAME pic.twitter.com/qJjl8vDlA6

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) January 8, 2026

That shot finally brought us to our finish after all those twists, turns, and full-on loops. Brooklyn had lost, and Fernández and Dëmin knew it, but they also acknowledged the positives postgame.

“I actually just was thinking about it, like, that was one of those moments when in high school, when I was a kid, I was shooting alone in the gym and thinking about moments like this, and kind of going through things,” he said. “Like, ‘okay, I’m hitting the shot, the game winning shot, and you know, five threes in a row,’ or whatever it is. And this was one of those, the moments that I was kind of manifesting when I was a kid…So it was — it felt really, really good. But again, we didn’t get a win, so it doesn’t really matter anymore, and we’re going into the next one.”

“Give credit to Paolo, amazing player, and amazing players make amazing shots,” Fernández said. “I also think our guys made amazing shots. Proud of all of them. You know, towards the end, Noah, Egor, and Mike scored throughout the whole game. It was really good to see, and it was good to see the defense in the fourth.”

For a year and a half now, the Nets have had an odd objective of playing winning basketball without actually winning games. It’s an an infinitesimal target, nearly impossible to see, and equally as difficult to hit, but they did so tonight. Who cares if no one called bank?

Final: Orlando Magic 104, Brooklyn Nets 103

Trade Talk​

Trae Young trade buzz hovered over almost every NBA game tonight, ours included. That said, Jake Fischer and Brett Siegel did their best to end any speculation of Ice Trae coming to the Big Apple. In his substack with Marc Stein, Fischer noted that while Young expressed an interest in Brooklyn and Minnesota as destinations, neither team reciprocates that feeling. Siegel published a similar report.

All checked out, as Shams Charania reported a few minutes before the end of tonight’s contest that the Washington Wizards won the Young “sweepstakes” if you can even still call them that. For the Nets, at least that means one less tank competitor.

BREAKING: The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/WIf8rhrRFu

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 8, 2026

Contract News​

In other news, Mike Scotto of HoopsHype reported Wednesday morning that the Nets planned to fully guarantee both Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin’s contracts for the rest of the season. They had until 5 p.m. on Wednesday to either cut or keep both players. Each will now finish what’ll be their third seasons as NBA pros in Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn Nets will fully guarantee the contracts of Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin for the rest of the season, league sources told @hoopshype. Wilson has averaged 7.4 points through three seasons with the Nets. Martin has averaged 8.3 points through two seasons with Brooklyn.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 7, 2026

Milestone Watch​

• Michael Porter Jr. has tied his career high with eight 3-pointers tonight against Orlando (8-for-14), originally accomplished on 4/24/21 with Denver vs. Houston.
• Dëmin made two 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds of the fourth + OT to tie or to take the lead. He’s the second rookie ever to do so (Kevin Durant on 4/6/2008).

Next Up​

Brooklyn stays home on Friday to host the Los Angeles Clipper for the first time this season. LA beat the Nets both times last year by a combined 91 points (yikes!). That said, hard times have since fallen upon James Harden and company. The Clippers resemble on of the league’s messiest disappointments this year. Despite having won seven of their last 10, they’re still 14-23 and currently outside the Play-In looking in. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. EST.

• Boxscore: Orlando Magic 104, Brooklyn Nets 103 (OT) – NBA
• Game Highlights: Orlando Magic 104, Brooklyn Nets 103 (Video) – NBA
• Insane OT Ending in Brooklyn (Video) – NBA
• Paolo Banchero comes up clutch (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernandez PostGame Interview (Video) – NBA
• Egor Demin PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Banchero banks in 3-pointer at OT buzzer to lift Magic past Nets, 104-103 – AP
• Nets waste Egor Demin’s late heroics in heartbreaking OT loss to Magic at buzzer – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Trae Young’s Nets interest before trade auspicious sign for Brooklyn rebuild – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Michael Porter Jr. shines, Egor Dëmin delivers, but Paolo Banchero has final say in Nets’ OT loss to Magic ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nic Claxton back, Day’Ron Sharpe rolling as Nets weigh frontcourt minutes ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Magic with savage clap-back to Nets fans salty over Paolo Banchero’s game-winner – Josh Davis – Clutch Points
• Nets player grades: Michael Porter Jr. drops 34 in OT loss to Magic – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scores-results/104090/nets-vs-magic-104-103-paolo-banchero-egor-demin

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Orlando Magic at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 PM ET

The Nets are coming off a 12-point win against the Jokic-less Nuggets, Michael Porter Jr. is still hot, and suddenly your favorite team from Brooklyn is only a half-game out of a play-in spot. We’ll see which route the faulty tank takes tonight.

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KEY INFO​

Brooklyn Nets (11-22) vs. Orlando Magic (20-17)
7:30 PM ET: Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY
YES Network

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INJURY REPORT​

Ben Saraf is dealing with left knee soreness but is with Brooklyn. The four other members of the Flatbush Five are as well for the first time in a long time, while the three two-ways remain with Long Island. Nic Claxton will return and Brian Lewis reports that both Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin are getting their contracts guaranteed for the season.

For the Magic, Jalen Suggs (knee), Franz and Mortiz Wagner (sprained left ankle, knee) will not be available tonight.

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JOIN THE DISCUSSION​

We encourage you to share your thoughts, insights, and reactions as this one unfolds, but keep it respectful. NetsDaily is a community where basketball fans can debate and enjoy the game without the noise.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...sion-orlando-magic-at-brooklyn-nets-730-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Long Island Nets return to Canada, but result and attendance disappoint

The Long Island Nets returned to their home-away-from-home court on Thursday night for a showdown with the Wisconsin Herd. However, while it was officially the Nets’ home court, it wasn’t their “home” court in Uniondale, Long Island, but a court nearly 400 miles to the north, Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada a northern suburb of Montreal.

It was the first of a back-to-back for “Les Nets,“ in the second year of an annual promotion shared by Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the Nets, Liberty parent company, and Groupe CH, which owns the Montreal Canadians and two arenas in Quebec. BSE is trying to create a new fan base in French-speaking Canada while Groupe CH is playing a longer game, hoping to draw an NBA franchise to Canada’s second biggest city.

While Long Island lost this one 108-101 — and had none of the Flatbush Five on hand, the big story was the attendance. After sell-outs last season, only 5,193 fans showed up Thursday.

Last season, Long Island drew nearly 40,000 fans over six games, selling out Place Bell — and all its custom “Les Nets” gear. As for what kind of numbers the organization had in mind, Morgan Taylor, who runs Long Island’s busines operations, told NetsDaily last week that they were “working towards that number” of 7,000-plus fans again. While they were more than a bit off that mark in this one, there are still three more chances starting with Friday night’s back end of the back-to-back. Long Island plays two more games next month in Laval.

No word yet as to why the drop-off. Still the Nets who are trying to build a fan base in French-speaking Canada had to feel positive about the reception provided by those on hand…

The Canadian crowd is hot for Long Island tonight. Like Etienne told me, growing the game of basketball is what's most important.

This crowd wants basketball in Montreal! Cheering on every dunk, shot, block, and steal from Long Island.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 9, 2026

Long Island was short-handed Thursday without any of the Flatbush 5, including French-speaking Nolan Traore, as two-way player E.J. Liddell, both suffering from ankle woes. Long Island’s associate head coach, a native of Ottawa, Shawn Swords, was given the honor of welcoming the crowd.

The Nets were also without Jay Scrubb, who played his best game with Long Island on Tuesday, then took an opportunity to play overseas for presumably more money. Yuri Collins who had been Long Island’s starting point guard, left the team last week for Nes-Ziona in Israel. Collins replacement, Jamal Mashburn Jr. played only a minute after joining the club from the Westchester Knicks.

So, Long Island was left with only nine players including Mashburn. Two of the Brooklyn two-way players were in action – Tyson Etienne and Chaney Johnson – as well as Nate Williams, who has emerged as one of Long Island’s most reliable players.

The Nets got off to a strong start, scoring the first eight points of the game and shooting 55% from the field in the opening quarter. Long Island outscored the Herd 12-4 in the paint during the first period and led by as many as 14 points before ending the first with a 29-21 advantage. But Wisconsin went on a 16-0 run from 7:05 to 2:29 in the second quarter before the Nets closed the quarter on a 7-2 run to tie the game at 52 going into the break.

Wisconsin went on a 14-0 spurt in the third but Long Island fought back to cut the deficit to a single possession entering the final frame, 78-75. After a tightly contested fourth quarter, Wisconsin held on for a 108-101 victory despite all five of Long Island’s starters scoring at least 15 points.

Etienne continued his hot shooting, connecting on seven of his 13 shots, including going 5-of-9 from deep, finishing the game second in scoring with 22 points. Watching Etienne play this year has been a treat. His shot selection is top-tier. Etienne was credited with four rebounds, three assists, and one steal.

Johnson, playing his fourth game for Long Island after being signed to the third two-way slot last week, finished this game with 15 points, his season average with the Nets affiliate, connecting on four of his 13 shots, but 1-fo-5 from three-point land. He also had eight rebounds, three steals, and one block.

Johnson plays hard and with a lot of heart. However, there are certain aspects of his game he’ll have to improve before he steps on the court at Barclays Center. The first and most important part is his shot selection. He tries to play “hero” ball quite often. Sometimes this works out, and the fans love him for it; other times, he takes up a shot in traffic with three people on him and two wide-open teammates and completely whiffs.

Williams once again led Long Island with 23 points. The veteran of 47 NBA games, Williams connected on nine of his 16 shot attempts, but only went one-of-five from beyond the arc. He also had six rebounds, one assist, and one block. However, there was very glaring downside of his game: ball protection. Williams turned the ball over four times in this one, which led the team. With that said, he still remains arguably the best playmaker and the best ball hawk on the team. Williams also had a team-best and a game-best five steals.

Trevon Scott, Long Island’s 6’8” 28-year-old big, finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, a steal, and a block to his credit after having a quiet few games. Also, in his second start with the Long Island team, Malachi Smith continued to shine. Smith finished with 19 points, two rebounds, nine assists, and three steals.

NBA veteran Victor Oladipo, trying to make a comeback after a series of devastating injuries, led the Herd, the Bucks G League affiliate, with 25 points to go along with six assists, four rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes off the bench.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (3-4) return to the court on Friday in a rematch with the Herd. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be watched on the NBA G League site, as well as the Gotham Sports app.

• Boxscore: Wisconsin Herd 108, Long Island Nets 101 – G League
• Game Highlights: Wisconsin Herd 108, Long Island Nets 101 (Video) – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...-to-canada-but-game-and-attendance-disappoint

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets throttled by Los Angeles Clippers, lose 121-105

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Midway through the second quarter of the Brooklyn Nets’ Friday night duel with the Los Angeles Clippers, Brook Lopez tipped a pass intended for Nic Claxton at the top of the key. Lopez tracked down the ball in stride and, mining every ounce of energy in his 37-year-old body, took it coast-to-coast for a layup over Claxton. Plus the foul. Lopez and his teammates could only chortle at the scene…

Brook Lopez with the steal, bucket AND ONE! pic.twitter.com/9N1BQu2li5

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 10, 2026

Brooklyn is the NBA’s youngest team, Los Angeles the NBA’s oldest. Every once in a while, the Clippers’ interest level would wane, and they’d look their age. They opened the second half turning the ball over with the alertness of a texting driver. Brooklyn grabbed 19 offensive rebounds on the night, the Clippers just six. The other hustle stats were about even: deflections, steals, blocks, fast-break points.

So Lopez did sip from the fountain of youth, while James Harden (31/4/6) and Kawhi Leonard (26/5/5) were drunk off it, but the Clippers didn’t run the Nets out of the gym. They just didn’t need to.

The Clippers scored on autopilot. Harden did most of his damage in the first half; Leonard did most of his in the second. In an attempt to stop the two future Hall-of-Famers, Jordi Fernández sent plenty of early double-teams and outright traps at them; his players were not up to the challenge…

JOHN COLLINS DUNKS! pic.twitter.com/AWHREERVTW

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 10, 2026

John Collins shot 7-of-9 with three or four highlight dunks, Jordan Miller nearly matched his career-high with 21 points, and the Clippers as a whole shot 60% from two, 58% from three, and 90% from the line. Leonard and Harden made some All-NBA shots, but this was the fate the Nets deserved.

When asked if the team’s defensive effort was up to his standards, Jordi Fernández said: “At times it was ,at times it wasn’t. Especially in the first half, getting out of the of the doubles, we were very slow. And when you’re slow, then you get wide open shots. And even though you rather have other guys shooting instead of Kawhi and James, they still very good NBA players, and they shoot wide open shots and then make them.”

Fernández’s team may have been able to keep up had they shot better than 32% from deep. Michael Porter Jr. could not get it going, shooting 7-of-20 and 0-of-9 from deep, but he was far from the only culprit for the poor offensive night.

“I’m not worried about it,” said Fernández. “This is a game that some of those shots go in, and we are — I think we fought all the way through — but we could have been closer, and that’s sometimes part of the game, right?”

He also added that it’ll be another “five years” before MPJ has another 0-of-9 night from three.

The only starter who scored halfway effectively was the near-hero of Wednesday’s loss, Egor Dëmin. Continuing his Klay Thompson impression, he led the Nets in scoring with 19/3/3 on 5-of-10 from three…

3gorrrrrr

multiple 3s in five straight games for the rook! pic.twitter.com/EZOrZqkopp

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 10, 2026

Danny Wolf also shot 3-of-5 from deep to score 11 points, though some of it came in garbage time, where Nolan Traore also made a couple nice plays. It’s tough to blame them (and the scoreless Drake Powell) for not producing more as a part of a Cam Thomas-led second unit, though.

Fernández didn’t take the bait postgame, complimenting the second unit and even praising Thomas (13/1/1, four turnovers) on his playmaking ability. But at some point…

what are these three rookies gaining out of this pic.twitter.com/RUEuV5aboU

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) January 10, 2026

The Nets were going to lose this one no matter how often Thomas passed the ball, but as the trade deadline looms, his time in Brooklyn feels done. The situation isn’t untenable, exactly; it’s just not beneficial for anybody involved.

And so, another game come and gone. The fans at Barclays Center largely got what they came for, ooh-ing and aah-ing at increasingly impressive Kawhi buckets and even standing up for a Dëmin dunk attempt that he was fouled on. But a thrilling ending for the second game in a row?

Yeah, that wasn’t in the cards.

Final Score: Los Angeles Clippers 121, Brooklyn Nets 105

Milestone Watch​

• Egor Dëmin became the first rookie in Nets history to make five 3-pointers in back-to-back games, and the 28th rookie in NBA history to do so.
• Dëmin now has 19 games this season with multiple 3-pointers. The all-time Nets rookie leaders are Kerry Kittles (50) and Bojan Bogdanović (24).

Demin now has more 3-pointers (76) and a higher percentage (39.0%) than Cooper Flagg, V.J. Edgecombe, Dylan Harper, Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen and Cedric Coward. Tre Johnson is shooting a slightly higher percentage at 39.7% but 18 fewer made threes. Demin is second to Kon Knueppel in made threes, 127-76, but in January, he and Knueppel both have 15 threes but the Nets guard is shooting 55.6% while the Hornets guard is hitting 39.5%.

Okay, this one isn’t really a milestone, but Dëmin tried to put someone on a true poster for the first time in the NBA. It was the Nets all-time leading scorer, the seven-footer Brook Lopez…

Egor Demin just tried to put Brook Lopez on a poster. pic.twitter.com/zahBHjKam6

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 10, 2026

“It was scary. He’s a really big man,” laughed Dëmin. “I mean, there was supposed to be a time when I’m gonna start doing that, right? So it’s better to start earlier than later.”

Quite easy to root for the kid.

MPJ All-Star push heats up​

We are just one month away from NBA All-Star Weekend, two results of fan voting in. Currently, Michael Porter Jr. sits in ninth-place among Eastern Conference vote-getters, though he is a ways away from moving up and in danger of falling down the ladder…

Second returns of the 2025-26 NBA All-Star game fan voting: pic.twitter.com/Z3An1c0ShH

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 6, 2026

For all the silliness of the All-Star Game itself (a round robin Frankenstein with a USA vs. World theme) the process of becoming an All-Star is unchanged: Five starters from each conference will be chosen by a fan vote (50%), the media (25%) and current players (25%), while head coaches will pick seven reserves from each conference regardless of position.

Thus, MPJ’s fate will come down to the head coaches, but if fan voting is any indication, he’s on the right side of the bubble. Said Jordi Fernández pregame: “I mean, he’s an All-Star. He’s played like an All-Star. You just got to watch him play and how much better he’s gotten. He’s been in a different role, he’s proven he can do it. And it’s not just the shot-making, which I think like, if you’re an NBA fan, you just watch Michael take and make shots, right? It’s how he’s been working off the ball to get those shots, also rebounding, career-high rebounding and free-throw attempts and assists.”

He continued: “We’ve competed for a lot of games, he’s a big reason why we’re there. And he’s just doing his job, and it’s not about him, it’s about the group. So if you think about his impact on competitiveness, that’s what All-Stars do, and that’s why Mike should be there.”

Zach Lowe and Rob Mahoney, making their All-Star predictions on Thursday’s episode of Lowe’s podcast, agreed with Fernández, each picking MPJ. Lowe even wondered aloud if he was an “undisputed selection.”

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were named All-Stars for the Brooklyn Nets in 2023, though the two were ultimately traded before the actual festivities were held. Excluding that year, the Nets have not had an All-Star since Durant’s selection in 2022, and MPJ indeed seems worthy of ending the drought.

Entering Friday’s game:

• MPJ — appearing in 28 of 34 games — had a net rating swing of +14.4, per Cleaning the Glass (a 96th percentile mark, league-wide), including an offensive rating swing of +11.0 (also in the 96th percentile)
• He was 1 of 6 players averaging 26/7/3 (Avdija, Markkanen, Antetokounmpo, Dončić, Jokić)
• Among the 20 players averaging 25 PPG, Porter Jr. had the 8th-highest TS%.

The Brooklyn Nets have put on the full-court press for MPJ to make the All-Star team, frequently posting on social media and running multiple hype videos on the Jumbotron during home games. Despite Porter Jr.‘s struggles on Friday, they have a point.

Next Up​

The Nets hit the road for three games down South. They’ll face the Memphis Grizzlies on the first half of a back-to-back, with tip-off scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.

• Boxscore: Los Angeles Clippers 121, Brooklyn Nets 105 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Los Angeles Clippers 121, Brooklyn Nets 105 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernandez PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Harden scores 31, Leonard has 26 and the Clippers beat the Nets 121-105 – Brian Mahoney – AP
• Young Nets bullied by Clippers in loss full of tough lessons – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets’ big man duo could prove to be too much of a good thing – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Young Nets can’t climb out of early hole in 121-105 loss to veteran Clippers ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets Notebook: Michael Porter Jr.’s growth, a veteran’s learning curve and Noah Clowney’s expanding impact ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets player grades: Egor Demin drops 19 in 121-105 loss to Clippers – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...hrottled-by-los-angeles-clippers-lose-121-105

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

‘Les Nets’ win Montreal game in front of 6,201 as Malachi Smith explodes

The Long Island Nets returned to the court on Friday night for a second game in their first back-to-back of the season at Place Bell in suburban Montreal. Following their loss against the Wisconsin Herd in their first Canadian game Thursday, Long Island got back on track in this one and defeated Wisconsin, 121-112.

Their attendance goal got back on track as well, as 6,201 fans made their way to the arena in Laval, Quebec. for this one. After averaging nearly 7,000 fans last season in six Canadian games last season, Thursday night’s game only drew 5,193 which the team chalked up to timing. The game was up against a Montreal Canadiens game downtown

The “Les Nets” promotion in its second year of ,“ in the second year is shared by Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the Nets, Liberty, and Barclays Center parent company, and Groupe CH, which owns the Montreal Canadians and two arenas in Quebec. BSE is attempting to establish a new fan base in French-speaking Canada, while Groupe CH is playing a longer game, hoping to attract an NBA franchise to Canada’s second-largest city. Long Island will return to Montreal early next month for another set of games and community events.

Once again, the Quebec fans treated Long Island as the home team…

Regardless of the number, the fans in Canada are cheering on their Nets.

Every shot made, block, big play, foul shot, the fans are doing everything they can to keep Long Island in this one.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 10, 2026

Friday nights game was notable for a couple of reasons beyond the win, the Nets’ G Leaguers’ fourth in regular season. The win saw the return of Grant Nelson, the Alabama 7-footer who Brooklyn signed to an Exhibit 10 in the summer and assigned to Long Island. He had played six games before tweaking his knee back on November 26. After missing seven weeks. Friday’s game saw Nelson not just ease his way back into the swing of things, but start. It was a very good showing and hopefully one he can build on. Although the hyperathletic North Dakota native, scored only two points in 15 minutes, he corralled six boards and blocked a shot, both things the Nets want to see from him.

Nelson was pegged as a second-rounder in the 2025 NBA Draft, but late in the second, he reportedly passed on an opportunity to hear Mark Tatum call his name and instead became a free agent so he could the Nets organization and compete for a two-way..

The other promising development was a 36-point effort by 6’4” wing Malachi Smith who ironically was filling in for two-way E.J. Liddell. Ironically, the two played together — and won an Illinois state championship — in high school. He’s someone who doesn’t always get talked about a ton, as he goes a bit under the radar with the Flatbush 5 and Brooklyn’s three two-way players cycling through. Regardless, Smith shot the ball very well, connecting on 14 of his 22 shots, including going 1-of-3 from deep. He also picked up six rebounds, nine assists, and a steal to his credit. The nine assists matched a career-high for Smith, matching his output on Thursday night.

Chaney Johnson, the Nets recent two-way signing and at 23 Long Island’s youngest player, came off the bench in this one and picked up 12 points. Johnson connected on five of his seven shots for a better shooting performance than the night before. Johnson also had five rebounds, one assist, and one block in this one. He also picked up four turnovers in 22 minutes.

Career-high 36 points with nine assists and six rebounds for @maliworld11 pic.twitter.com/9Anw9eyHDY

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 10, 2026

Brooklyn most senior two-way. guard Tyson Etienne added 12 points with six assists and five rebounds in 39 minutes as he became the second player in franchise history to knock down at least 200 3-pointers. Overall, Etienne didn’t have the prettiest game shooting the ball as he just connected on three of his 10 shots, including going 2-0f-7 from deep.

Nate Williams had 19 points in this one, continuing his stellar play as of late. The 6’6” wing who turns 27 next month has the most NBA experience one the roster with 47 NBA games. He connected on seven of his 15 shots, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Williams also picked up seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal to his credit. Williams has been on a tear lately, reminding the Nets why they traded Drew Timme for him in the offseason.

Trevon Scott, Long Island’s 28-year-old big, flirted with a double-double, as he finished the game with 16 points and nine rebounds. The 28-year-old also had two assists, a steal, and a block.

Long Island fell behind early after a 17-7 run by the Herd in the first and trailed Wisconsin 32-23 after one quarter. The Nets responded by scoring the first 10 points of the second quarter and outscored the Herd 39-25 in the period to take a 62-57 lead into the locker room. Long Island finished the second quarter without a single turnover after committing seven in the first.

Long Island maintained the lead with an 8-0 run from 3:23 to 2:20 in the third quarter and entered the final period up by four, 85-81, after a highlight dunk by Johnson with two seconds remaining in the third. Long Island finally took control of a tightly-contested fourth quarter with a 10-2 run in the final frame to close out the team’s trip to Laval with a 121-112 win.

The Nets outscored Wisconsin 58-38 in the paint and won the offensive rebounding battle by a margin of 12-4. Long Island finished the game shooting 53.0% from the field and 40.7% from deep with six players scoring in double figures.

Victor Oladipo, the NBA veteran guard who’s trying for a comeback after various injuries, didn’t play in the back-to-back.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (4-4) return to Nassau Coliseum on Monday night for a showdown with their old friend KJ Jones II and the 5-3 Stockton Kings. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be watched on Prime Video, as well as on the Gotham Sports app.

• Boxscore: Long Island Nets 121, Wisconsin Herd 112 – G League
• Game Highlights: Long Island Nets 121, Wisconsin Herd 112 (Video) – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...me-in-front-of-6201-as-malachi-smith-explodes