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[Brooklyn Nets]

Sabrina Ionescu latest pro athlete to be victimized by burglars

Sabrina Ionescu and her husband NFL offensive lineman Hroniss Grasu have become the latest pro athletes to be victimized by burglars. Their Los Angeles home was entered and more than $60,000 in handbags were stolen.

According to NBC Los Angeles:

Police responded to the professional athletes’ home at about 8 p.m. A security alarm was activated when someone broke a glass sliding window at the rear of the residence. Two thieves in ski masks broke into the house and stole several handbags worth more than $60,000, authorities said.

The suspects then escaped by car, their direction unknown. Ionescu and Grasu were not home at the time, police said. No arrests have been made in the robbery, and an investigation is ongoing.

Ionescu is the latest pro athlete to be victimized. A number of professional athletes have faced similar incidents recently, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, then Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Last month, the home of Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ home was burglarized while he was making his NFL debut against the Baltimore Ravens.

Indeed, the last December, the FBI sent a warning to professional leagues noting that there are organized gangs targeting athletes. Then in February, seven Chilean men are facing federal charges in Florida related to a series of high-profile “crime tourism” burglaries of six professional athletes’ homes — including Mahomes, Kelce and Burrow — between October and December.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty...test-pro-athlete-to-be-victimized-by-burglars

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

RUMOR ROUND-UP: No action yet, just speculation

The first two milestones of trade season have passed. Monday was the first day that the 82 players signed in the summer could be dealt, bringing to 90% the percentage of players in the league trade pool. Then Tuesday was the last day a team could trade for player knowing they could turn him around at the deadline.

So for the next six weeks or so, from now until February 5 at 3:00 p.m. ET, it’s trade rumor season. As any NBA pundit can tell you from experience, the percentage of rumors that actually become real trades is very low and most trades take place just prior to the deadline. Nothing focuses the mind like a deadline. Indeed, trade machines were created because there’s a market for them.

At the moment, most of the traction around the Brooklyn Nets concern two, maybe three players. Michael Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas top the list with some but rumors about Nic Claxton as well.

Erik Slater reported Wednesday that the Nets are open to taking calls on MPJ. Evan Sidery thinks the Pistons might be a landing spot to watch for him and Brian Lewis and Jake Fischer again note that Thomas’s market is bare … and everyone is reporting the Nets are trolling the league for more salary dumps if they can get Brooklyn more draft assets or a good young player.

MPJ and Thomas of course are on different ends of value. Porter is having his best season ever and at 27 is entering the prime of his career. The 24-year-old sharpshooter, on the other hand, seems to have few fans around the league and now has lost 70 games to hamstring strains over the past two seasons to four separate but recurring incidents: 53 games total last season and now 17 this one. It shouldn’t be surprising that Sean Marks & co. are taking calls on any of their 17 rostered players. They’re in a deep rebuild. As for Thomas, it seems like he may have played his last game in black-and-white. There’s at this point no date for his return and Jordi Fernandez pointedly said earlier this week that if he does return, he’ll likely have a different and probably lesser role.

Deals involving either would be tricky.

One reason that is that the Nets want to stay above the salary floor and avoid the sanctions applied to any team whose payroll dips 10% below the salary cap or $139.2 million. The Nets payroll is now at $139.4 million, meaning their cushion is tiny and they’d have to find a way to replace all that salary. Finding $6.0 million, Thomas salary, wouldn’t be that difficult, but Porter earns $38.1 million. The Nets would have a single business day to get back under the floor.

Thomas is in a bad place. He exercised his qualifying offer and passed on offers of $9.5 million plus incentives over one year and $30 million over two with the second year a team option. He’d have veto power over any trade but would lose his Bird Rights with his new team, limiting his earning power going forward.

Moving Claxton’s $25.4 million would also require tackling the salary floor issue, but while there have been recurring rumors of this team or that being interested in him, there hasn’t been a lot suggesting the Nets are interested in moving him. That obviously could change.

Of course, the big debate about whether to deal him or MPJ for more first round picks centers on whether trading them would salvage the tank and retain their chances of getting one of the top three picks in the 2026 Draft: Darry Peterson, the 6’5” Kansas guard, A.J. Dybantsa, the 6’9” BYU forward or Cam Boozer, the 6’10” Duke big. They’re all currently seen as franchise-changers, each better than Cooper Flagg! While the top of the draft is filled with other solid prospects, those three are seen as being a class of their own.

On the other side of the debate are those who abhor the tank or simply believe that the 27-year-old Porter and/0r the 26-year-old Claxton are young enough to be part of a Nets rebuild framework going forward. Moreover, there’s no guarantee that no matter where the Net finish they’ll wind up with one of the top three or four picks — Caleb Wilson, the 6’10” North Carolina small forward would be a solid consolation prize. With the sixth worst record, they have a nine percent chance at the overall No. 1 and a 37.5% at walking away with a top four pick six months from now.

Zach Harper of the Athletic thinks that the tank is unlikely to be affected that much by rumored trades.

“Nets don’t necessarily have to worry too much about lottery odds,” he wrote this week. “Things should correct themselves naturally with battles for the bottom of the cellar. But New Orleans and Indiana are worse than people thought they’d be. That has to have Brooklyn sweat it out.”

That said, insiders tell NetsDaily that there’s is no indication that Brooklyn is going to stray from its plan — abandon the “probabilities” of tanking in pursuit of a top pick. After all, Joe Tsai told a Los Angeles tech summit in September “We have one pick in 2026, and we hope to get a good pick. So you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season. But we have a very young team.”

Whatever the Nets plan, they should be well-prepared. They already command:

• 32 draft picks — 13 first rounders, all but one unprotected and 10 of which are tradeable; two unprotected first round swaps; 19 second rounders, all of which are tradeable;
• $15.3 million in salary cap space most in the NBA. They’re also $48.7 million below the luxury tax threshold, $55.8 million below the first apron and $67.7 million below the second;
• $8.8 million MLE which can be used if Nets go over cap.
• Two non-guaranteed contracts in Tyrese Martin and Jalen Wilson which can be waived by January 7;
• Two players with team options in Zaire Williams and Day’Ron Sharpe;
• Veteran wings on reasonable contracts in Haywood Highsmith and to a lesser degree, Terance Mann’
• An open two-way roster spot likely to be filled in next two weeks.

But Michael Porter Jr. is their biggest trade asset if they chose to make big moves. He is not just averaging 25.6 points on 50/40/81 shooting splits along with 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He’s assumed the role of leader on the league’s youngest roster. A few days ago, Fernandez suggested that Porter, who he knows well from working with him in Denver, is likely to get ever better across the board.

“I think that’s very important because Mike’s 27. It’s not like we’re just developing the young guys. If they don’t get better, it’s on us as coaches. I think Mike, from the defense. the rebounding, his stance, his physicality, and then offense, finishing his cuts, letting it fly, I think he’s shot more 3s than he’s ever shot per game. Obviously, it’s a different role, but he has to do that for the team because he’s so good and creates attention that helps our offensive rebounding, it helps his teammates, so all of those things are important.”

That doesn’t sound like the head coach wants to lose his star.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-rumors/103218/rumor-round-up-no-action-yet-just-speculation

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets vs. Heat preview: Rested and ready

After a nice four-day rest, the Nets are returning to action after their 127-82 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, tied for the biggest win in franchise history. What made the victory so great, besides four of the beloved Flatbush 5 getting some significant NBA minutes, was the fact that all but three players reached double digits in scoring. Even though Brooklyn, as an organization, is clearly focused on getting the best pick in the May lottery, the players and coaches are not. So, it’s moments like this that keep you going.

Tonight, the Nets will take on the Miami Heat, who have been struggling to say the very least. With a five game losing streak, the Heat will look to bounce back in the winning column despite being without some key players on the roster.

Where to Watch

Check out the action at 7:30 PM and the YES Network, as well as streaming on the Gotham Sports App. For the out-of-towners, the game will be on NBA League Pass

Injury Report

Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, E.J. Liddell, and Tyson Etienne will be reporting to Long Island. They’ll be traveling to Orlando for the G League Winter Showcase where they open up vs. the Mexico City Capitanes on Saturday. Cam Thomas (left hamstring) remains out and Haywood Highsmith, who will be facing his former team, is recovering from right knee surgery. No timetable for either player’s return.

For Miami, Tyler Herro (toe), Pelle Larson (ankle), and Nikola Jovic (elbow) will be out. Norman Powell (calf) is questionable. Terry Rozier remains suspended following his arrest in the NBA gambling scandal two months ago.

The Game

The Miami Heat have been through so much as an organization of late. The Terry Rozier gambling investigation not only is among the leading stories in the NBA, but in all of sports. His status remains uncertain both from a legal and basketball standpoint. Also, after returning to action in late November, Tyler Herro injured his toe, which led him to miss even more action.

“I just got to rest it and calm it down until I get back to normal,” Herro said Wednesday. “I’m going on the trip, so I’m hopeful that I’ll be back at some point on the trip, if not, then hopefully the week at home.”

To make matters even worse, the franchise’s greatest player was on video criticizing the team’s effort during the NBA Cup…

Dwyane Wade calls out the Heats lack of effort in the NBA cup vs Magic

“I was pissed off watching the effort that night, I didn’t like it. I’m yelling at the TV ‘YALL DONT WANT TO GO TO VEGAS?’ I need better effort. I’m used to Miami Heat team having resilience, that’s who we… pic.twitter.com/zBGzIo6vNX

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) December 16, 2025

So, it is possible the Nets can use their momentum from the victory against the Bucks as well as four wins in the last six to their advantage.

Nic Claxton will have his hands full with Bam Adebayo. He is currently averaging 19 points and nine rebounds on almost 50% shooting overall. Egor Demin will also have his hands full with Davion Mitchell, whose nickname (Off-Night) is well deserved as he can lock up any offensive player at the guard position. Good test for the young fella. Michael Porter Jr. will have to be the main catalyst offensively. We all know he can score, but if he facilitates and gets his teammates involved, the Nets should have a great chance of adding their recent success.

Player To Watch: Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is quietly having the best year of his career. With averages of 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on 51% shooting, Jaquez Jr. is on pace to be considered for both the MIP and Sixth Man Award. The UCLA product has done a great job in steeping in for the Heat while their main scorer is on the bench.

Despite the Heat’s funk, Jaquez remains upbeat but is dismissing speculation about the two awards.

“It’s kinda hard, everybody’s on social media. So, of course, you see it. But I try not to pay attention. My focus right now is on the team,” Jaquez said told TMZ three days ago. “I think when you win, good things happen for individuals. Focusing on winning is the most important part for me.”

Can he carry the load without so many teammates. At this point, he’ll have to. Miami has no choice.

From the Vault

It’s been a rough week for the world with the murders of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner in Los Angeles, two students at Brown University in Providence and 15 Australian Jews celebrating Chanukah in Sydney. Tragedy was also barely avoided not far from Barclays Center Sunday when six teenagers were injured in a mass shooting outside the Burbuja Events venue in the Cypress Hills neighborhood of Brooklyn. The victims, all between the ages of 15 and 17, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition.

Suffice it to say that sports can be a tonic, but it can’t be a remedy unless its values go beyond the court or the field. The world is the world and it’s up to everyone to make it better. Reiner was someone who understood that. Here’s a story from on his love of baseball and how every summer he would visit different MLB stadium.

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

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Miami Heat Game Notes – Miami Heat
• Miami takes on Brooklyn, seeks to end 5-game skid – AP
• Nets gearing up for hard part of the schedule – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Michael Porter Jr. playing like All-Star — but Nets know it’s on them to give him chance – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Inside the numbers behind Michael Porter Jr.’s rising All-Star case with Nets: ‘That’s what All-Stars do’ ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-game-previews/103231/nets-vs-heat-preview-rested-and-ready

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets drop sludge-fest to Miami Heat, 106-95

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

It’s become old news: The Brooklyn Nets of today are not nearly as helpless as the black-and-white outfit that both began the season 0-7 and were somehow less competitive than their record suggested.

Since then, they are 7-11 with a -1.2 net rating, not to mention 6-3 against below .500 opponents. Since the beginning of November, they’ve won Michael Porter Jr.‘s minutes outright; July’s full-time podcaster is December’s All-Star candidate. How strongly you feel the Nets should tank — *ahem* maximize their NBA Draft Lottery odds — will inform how excited you are about this development, but there is one aspect of Brooklyn’s recent success we can all celebrate: If they keep playing this well, the discussion will be moot.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat entered Barclays Center on Thursday night having lost five straight games, a span in which Erik Spoelstra’s funky, screen-less offense has been the league’s worst. “Earlier in the season, we were able to get whatever we wanted because they didn’t know our offense, our system,” said a drearily honest Norman Powell earlier this week.

On paper, a pretty fair fight, especially with Miami’s Tyler Herro ruled out due to a toe injury. Aside from the continued absences of Cam Thomas and Haywood Highsmith, the Nets were perfectly healthy. That is, until Drake Powell sprained his right ankle three minutes after checking in on Thursday night…

Breaking

Drake Powell helped to the locker room after turning his ankle. #Netsworld pic.twitter.com/JifScCVM6U

— NetsKingdom (@NetsKingdomAJ) December 19, 2025

That’s the same ankle Powell sprained twice to open this season. He was ruled out for the night immediately after exiting the contest, and the Nets had no further updates postgame. The Nets later had another injury scare when Noah Clowney knocked knees with Simone Fontecchio and exited the game in the second quarter, though he was available to start the second half.

While it wasn’t the prettiest display of basketball, it ultimately was a fair fight. The Heat jumped out to an early 11-point lead as Jordi Fernández sighed and clacked his teeth as his team’s lack of effort, but that was the worst things got. Brooklyn trailed by just three after the first quarter, and five at halftime after Norman Powell hit a 45-foot H-O-R-S-E shot…

NORMAN POWELL FROM HALF COURT pic.twitter.com/qPcIStnpT9

— Heat Clips (@MiamiClip) December 19, 2025

Aside from Powell, who scored a team-high 24 points on the night, nobody on either side could find his outside shot. That includes Michael Porter Jr., who didn’t get it going until semi-garbage time. Overall, MPJ needed 24 shots to get to his 28 points; given the way he’s shot the rock to begin the season, it’s tough for him to take a truly bad shot, but he did his damndest on Thursday.

Not that he was entirely misguided. As a team, Brooklyn shot a disgusting 11-of-49 from three, or 22.4%, in increasingly desperate need of a jumpstart as the game dredged on. Still, they stayed in the game thanks to similar inaccuracy on the other side and by Nic Claxton’s 16/12/8/2/3 on 8-of-9 shooting. Over the last few years, Clax and Bam Adebayo have honed if not quite a heated rivalry, then a platonic annoyance with each other. Clax won the first round of 2025-26, as Bam scored just eight points of 4-of-13 shooting with five fouls, watching the end of the game from the bench.

Turns out, Miami didn’t need him! Their other big, the demonically long and springy Kel’el Ware, put up a 22-and-12 double-double along with four blocks. With the Nets struggling from outside, Ware dominating the inside was enough to hand Brooklyn their lowest point total of the season. By the end of the night, the Nets were so sick of Ware that Terance Mann hit him with a flagrant foul that spelled the end of a half-hearted comeback attempt…

Terrance Mann with a hard foul on ware pic.twitter.com/3x53UNCjSz

— Heat Clips (@MiamiClip) December 19, 2025

With Ben Saraf and Nolan Traore on G League assignment and Powell an early exit, the only rookies that could have saved the day were Egor Dëmin and Danny Wolf. Both had their moments, both had their missteps. Wolf played nearly 20 minutes, posting 9/5/2 with three turnovers, including a couple eyesores after Fernández said “the assist-turnover ratio is something that he has to do better [in],” pregame.

Egor Dëmin, despite constant harassment from Davion Mitchell, got up 18 shot-attempts, tying his career-high. He made just five of them, hoisting some 3-point attempts that were only a notch less desperate than a prayer, though you can’t have trial-and-error without the error. Dëmin did provide the last gasp of hope for Brooklyn, cutting the deficit to four with five minutes left, ultimately ensuring this would count as a “clutch-time” loss…

let it fly, @whoisegor3 pic.twitter.com/tqgOA7g76K

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 19, 2025

Miami didn’t need their innovative offense the shred Brooklyn’s defense on Thursday, they just needed to contain Michael Porter Jr. and watch Noah Clowney have his worst offensive game of the year, as the third-year Net shot 2-of-13 from the floor and 0-of-9 from three.

Fernández was not upset with his team’s effort after the game: “Little mistakes that you can correct, and shots going in or not — I’m happy with the looks that we had that didn’t go in. So sometimes, a little bit of that is the difference, right? Like, they’re a good running team, and we did a better job in the second half, holding them to four fast-break points instead of, I thought it was 13 in the first … I’m very proud of them, you know, how the team fought and competed all the way through.”

Alas, Fernández was less happy with the officials, who awarded Brooklyn just 11 free-throws, including just one solitary attempt in the first half: “I thought for the most part, they called a good football game out there, because it was not basketball.”

Brooklyn didn’t do anything that objectionable on Thursday night, instead just a victim to one of those nights that an 82-game NBA season will often produce. But that didn’t make it any less ugly, and Brooklyn falls to 1-15 against teams .500 or better. The Nets are much improved, far from pathetic … but world-beaters, they are not.

Final Score: Miami Heat 106, Brooklyn Nets 95

Milestone Report​

Nic Claxton was the lone bright spot from Thursday’s loss, as evidenced by these stats from Nets PR.

• Claxton finished the night with 16 points (8-9 FG), 12 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks and two steals. It was the third time a player has reached such minimums in franchise history, joining Kenyon Martin (3/5/01) and Derrick Coleman (1/3/92).
• Clax has five games this season with at least 10/10/6. He had two such games through the first six seasons of his career.

Injury Update​

As mentioned, Jordi Fernández did not have an update on Drake Powell after the game, who missed five of Brooklyn’s first eight games with the same right ankle sprain (and received a DNP in another).

However, in pregame, Fernández did provide an update on Haywood Highsmith: “Right now he’s on the court with coaches. He hasn’t gotten to five-on-five yet, or contact, per se. So when he is taking these next steps, we’ll let you guys know. But he’s done a good job. And the most important thing to me is his veteran leadership, and how important he is to the rest of the group, especially the young guys.”

Well…not that much of an update.

Next Up​

Miami was the first of three straight Eastern Conference opponents for the Nets, all with a winning record. Next up is the Toronto Raptors, once again at home. Tip-off is scheduled for Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. ET.

• Boxscore: Miami Heat 106, Brooklyn Nets 95 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Miami Heat 106, Brooklyn Nets 95 (Video) – NBA
• Heat beat the Nets 106-95 to snap a 5-game losing streak – AP
• Nets undone by poor shooting performance in putrid loss to Heat – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets gearing up for hard part of the schedule – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Drake Powell’s early exit compounds offensive woes in Nets’ 106-95 loss to Heat ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets Notebook: Haywood Highsmith still progressing, no timeline for return ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets rookie Drake Powell ruled out of Heat matchup due to ankle sprain – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
• Nets player grades: Michael Porter Jr. drops 28 in 106-95 loss to Heat – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...s-heat-106-95-michael-porter-jr-norman-powell

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Danny Wolf diplomatic in discussing ‘Jewish Jokic’ nickname

Draymond Green was lamenting how pundits and fans are attaching one descriptor or another to players who like Nikola Jokic are mutli-talented seven-footers or near seven-footers. It’s silly, he said.

“We got the Jewish Joker, now. We got the Baby Joker [Alpern Sengun, Derik Queen]. Enough, man,” said Green oh his podcast last week. He could have also added the Chinese Jokic, Hansen Yang, to his list. “I have to f–king guard Joker. You mean to tell me everyone’s just Joker? F–k out of here. No disrespect to Danny Wolf; I haven’t played against him. But enough of comparing everybody to Joker.”

Wolf, the Nets point center, doesn’t really disagree, but in comments to both Erik Slater and Brian Lewis, he said he’s flattered by the description.

“I don’t know the number, but a lot of my friends and family sent me that clip. Yeah, it was definitely pretty funny,” Wolf told The Post. “I didn’t really react much to it. I don’t have too much of an opinion. I mean, being compared to the greatest player in the world right now obviously is cool.

“But there’s obviously this trend of slapping the term Jokic on younger bigs who can pass and play-make. But in all honesty, I don’t really play that much like him. Obviously, I’m a bigger guy with a different, unique kind of game. I don’t really have too many thoughts on [Green,] but yeah, it was definitely an interesting clip.”

Wolf noted to Slater that he plays a “unique game” not unlike the Denver Nuggets center but different…

“It’s a compliment to be compared to, in my opinion, the greatest player in the world right now.”

Danny Wolf speaks on his Jewish Joker nickname and Draymond Green’s strong opinion about it. pic.twitter.com/1vLa9iuisK

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 18, 2025

“It’s kind of an easy thing to slap on young bigs who can kinda pass the ball because Jokic in our day and age is the prime example of that,” the 21-year-old Michigan and Yale product told Slater. “Obviously, I’ve only been in the league a little bit but but I play a unique game. Definitely, there are some things to it that aren’t as normal in the NBA so to speak and obviously it’s a compliment to be compared to, in my opinion, but I think my game is different than his.”

“I don’t have too much of a comment on it but it’s definitely a complement.”

Of course, Wolf is nowhere near Jokic’s production, but the 27th pick last June — 14 places ahead where Jokic was taken in the 2014 NBA Draft (famously during a Taco Bell commercial.) has bloomed of late, as Lewis noted.

Wolf went into Thursday first among qualified rookies in Net Rating (+8.3), and second in plus/minus (+2.8 per game), behind only the Sixers’ VJ Edgecombe.

And as far as questions about hiding him on defense? He was third in the NBA in Defensive Rating (98.5), and his Defensive Field Goal Percentage of 40 percent led all rookies who’d faced over 30 shots.

The one-time member of Israel’s junior national team admitted to Lewis that he carries a chip on his shoulder about those doubts.

“There were a lot of questions from teams and front offices as to who I could guard. I took that as a chip on my shoulder to prove that I can more than guard in this league,” Wolf said. “But it’s a work in progress, and I need to continue to get quicker and stronger.

“Over the summer, I just really repped out my shot, and I knew in pre-draft and my workouts I was shooting the crap out of the ball. … And I’ve been in an organization that wants to shoot 3s. The coaches trust me shooting, my teammates trust me, so whenever I’m open I’m gonna let it fly.”

• Danny Wolf isn’t worrying about his Jewish Joker nickname — or Draymond Green’s thoughts about it – Brian Lewis – New York Post

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-news/103247/danny-wolf-diplomatic-in-discussing-jewish-jokic-nickname

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

How NBA All-Star voting works in 2025 — and where Nets fit in

NBA All-Star voting has changed over time, but this season’s process looks quite similar to last year’s.

How All-Star Starters Are Picked​

The starters for the NBA All-Star Game are chosen through a hybrid voting system designed to mix public opinion with inside perspectives:

• Fans: 50% of the vote
• NBA players: 25%
• Media panel: 25%

Each group submits ballots, and the votes are combined to determine the starters at each spot. The players with the highest cumulative votes become All-Star starters.

Fans can vote once per day during the voting window, which opened on Wednesday and runs through Jan 14.

How Reserves Are Selected​

Once the starters are locked in, a different group decides the next wave of All-Stars: the NBA head coaches.

Coaches vote for the All-Star reserves, typically seven players from each conference, but they cannot vote for their own players.

What’s Different This Year​

A few changes this season are worth noting:

No positional requirements for voting:
In previous years, the starters had to fit specific position slots (two guards, three frontcourt players). This year, ballots are positionless, meaning fans and others can vote for any five players regardless of traditional spots.

New game format (USA vs. World):
Besides the voting itself, the All-Star Weekend format has changed. Instead of the traditional East vs. West exhibition, this year’s All-Star event will feature two U.S. teams and one World team in a round-robin tournament followed by a championship game.

Brooklyn’s only All-Star case​

This season, the Nets’ only All-Star contender is their leading scorer, forward Michael Porter Jr., who ranks 14th in the NBA at 25.7 points per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. He is also averaging 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

In a recent article by the New York Post’s Brian Lewis, Porter Jr. explained what an All-Star selection would mean to him.

“It definitely would be a dream come true,” Porter Jr. said. “It was in my mind as a kid to make the NBA, but not only be in the NBA, but be one of the best players in the NBA. And an All-Star selection shows that progress.”

While it has always been a goal, Porter Jr. made it clear that winning remains his priority.

“But it’s definitely not what I’m thinking of,” he said. “I’ve always tried to be more process-oriented and do the right things day to day, game to game, and let the results take care of itself. I feel like when people start focusing and reaching really hard for a result, that’s when it can evade them. If I make it, cool. If not, I’m going on vacation. So I’m not really tripping either way.”

Of course, making the All-Star team won’t be easy when your team has the sixth worst record in the league.

Might anyone get some votes? Nic Claxton is having the best season of his career. He’s averaging 13.5 points on 56.4% shooting overall an has upped his free throw percentage from 51.3% last season to nearly 70% so far this season. He’s also averaging 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

Where to vote? Right here!

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-news...ar-voting-works-in-2025-and-where-nets-fit-in

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Injuries, illness, flashes too in Brooklyn Nets Rookie Report — No. 6

Sports fandom is increasingly an exercise in mock GM’ing. The rise of fantasy sports certainly played a role as well as the shift from analysis in mainstream sports media to trade/free agency rumors and clips of “debate shows” on YouTube Shorts, or maybe it’s just the technocratic optimization of pro sports … along with every other cultural pastime that we have.

Yes, fans have always had opinions on trades and free agency signings. But, faced with irrefutable evidence that better ball-players are often selected higher in amateur drafts, and that middling or losing teams shouldn’t pretend a first-round playoff exit is worth more than a higher pick in said draft — if the one true goal is a championship — we clamor for our middling or losing teams to lose. To tank — which is to say so much losing that there is no shame, only embarrassment, only a feeling. And it is mostly washed over by the fact that players on those tanking teams are place-holders for those unknown future players who will come in and eventually do the winning.

Even the curmudgeons adapt to the world of optimized sports. You miss Andray Blatche taking stepback 16-footers (welcome to the club), but deep down, you know he probably should’ve just taken those catch-and-shoot threes. You miss the idea of a menacing cleanup hitter, but you understand why a team’s best hitter shouldn’t be placed 44.4% of the way down the lineup.

These are the rules that have been laid out for us sports fans. Jordi Fernández benching Egor Dëmin after a few defensive mistakes or the Brooklyn Nets keeping Danny Wolf in the G League for the first month of the season can seem like a violation of the rules. If Brooklyn tanked to draft these guys, and if game reps are the most valuable thing for a young player (as Fernández often likes to say) and if the Nets’ future depends upon developing their young players … then why didn’t they arrive in Brooklyn with the keys in their hands? Doesn’t seem very optimal.

I think teams break the rules more than the fans. The Nets don’t want to have a miserable locker room losing day in and day out. The Nets wanted to hang onto Cam Johnson just a little bit longer because people loved him. Fernández doesn’t want the locker room to ask why a 20-year-old Drake Powell can play through the mistakes that a 24-year-old Ziaire Williams cannot.

Human emotions are still resent in every decision, minor or major. What’s gonna happen with this tank? I have no idea. But with Brooklyn’s rookies slowly entrenching themselves in the rotation, not to mention that Cam Johnson tradeis looking pretty decent, maybe it’s okay to simply grimace and hope for the best. (Seriously though, what is gonna happen with this tank?!?)

Egor Dëmin​

Season stats: 24 GP, 23.1 MPG, 8.7/3.1/3.4 slash line, 38/34/84 shooting splits. 1.7 TO + 2.0 PF + 1.2 stock (stl+blk) per game.

Stats last two weeks: 3 GP, 24 MPG, 11.3/2.0/1.7 slash line, 12-of-33 FG, 6-of-20 3P, 4-of-5 FT. Five TO + five PF + five stocks (stl+blk) total.

Over the last two weeks, the Nets have played just three games thanks to the scheduling shenanigans of the In-Season Tournament, but Egor Dëmin has nonetheless seen some ups and downs. He was invisible in Dallas, scoring three points on seven shots, playing just 18 minutes, before a 17-point performance vs. Milwaukee.

“That’s something coaches kind of want from me, obviously. That’s something I’m looking for, trying to look for, and the adjustment is now me doing it every game, but that’s something I really have to try to follow it every single game,” said Dëmin of maintaining his aggressiveness.

Facing the Miami Heat on Thursday night, he was constantly harassed by Davion Mitchell but he did follow through on his promise to be more aggressive. It was quite the challenge…

Davion Mitchell is insane defensivley pic.twitter.com/BdME14nLK8

— Heat Clips (@MiamiClip) December 19, 2025

Dëmin shot 5-of-18, tying his season-high in attempts, and recorded just one assist, tying a season-low.

He took 12 of his shots from three, including some prayers like the one above, and while that might not be exactly what his coaches have in mind when they ask for more aggressiveness, it’s all part of the trial-and-error. Particularly if you’re asking him to create from a standstill…

The Nets are asking Egor to try and touch the paint, first and foremost. Aggressiveness and scoring are not wholly synonymous … but maybe they’re a little synonymous. Per NBA tracking, Dëmin passes out of 51.2% of his drives, the highest share of any Net, and second-highest mark of any NBA player that is at least 6’8”.

Plays like these…

…where Egor eats up all the space in front of him and realizes he can beat both PnR defenders to the rim are major highlights. He’ll eventually have to blend these takes with his passing; he often commits to either the shot or pass a bit early, and it’s why he hasn’t assisted on many two-point baskets this season, including zero lob passes so far.

Danny Wolf​

Season stats: 12 GP, 18 MPG, 8.8/4.3/1.8 slash line, 42/35/89 shooting splits. 1.5 TO + 1.0 PF + 0.7 stock (stl+blk) per game.

Stats last two weeks: 3 GP, 23 MPG, 11.3/5.3/1.7 slash line, 13-of-33 FG, 4-of-14 3P, 4-of-6 FT. Five TO + one PF + five stock (stl+blk) total.

Danny Wolf, on the other hand, needs no reminders to be aggressive. The Nets are still winning his minutes. They’re nine points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the court. After just 200 minutes this seems like little more than a noisy small sample. They haven’t been able to score well with him on the court, though their opponents have completely forgotten how to shoot, and while Wolf hasn’t been terrible on defense, it seems unlikely that that accurately reflects his impact. (I’ll admit, though, that when he plays next to Day’Ron Sharpe as he often has, that’s a fearsome defensive rebounding duo.)

Naturally, the turnovers have been a big point of contention so far. Fernández has called them out a couple times, including before Brooklyn’s contest against the Heat. A friend who works in NBA Draft scouting apparatus half-jokingly said to me, “Okay, Wolf might be a real NBA player, but I don’t know if I could ever trust him in the last five minutes of the game.”

Now, you’d typically associate a high-turnover big with a lower feel, lesser basketball instincts, whatever…but I’ve been quite impressed with this part of Wolf’s transition to the NBA. He’s slow when rotating and closing out, sure, but he knows where to go. And offensively, he consistently makes plays like this: a timely sacrifice cut to create an open three, then burning Cooper Flagg by relocating and driving off the catch…

Of his 18 total turnovers, only two of them have been “lost ball” turnovers, according to Basketball Reference, as opposed to bad passes or illegal screens/charges/3-second calls. Though an incredibly small sample size, that’s a promising start, because one of Wolf’s best attributes is how he keeps the dribble alive. This play doesn’t happen if Wolf picks the ball up early…

just tough to guard. CHI trying to deny MPJ's second touch and here's an impromptu blind DHO, high enough up the court that MPJ can flow into a three: pic.twitter.com/1CxKiuNE17

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) December 4, 2025

And this persistent drive against Flagg gets him all the way to the cup…

Can Wolf cut down the turnovers? Can he keep shooting 39% from three? If he does both, he’ll be a pretty good offensive player, but he’s already a promising one.

Drake Powell​

Season stats: 19 GP, 17.7 MPG, 6.0/1.8/1.9 slash line, 49/38/95 shooting splits. 1.2 TO + 1.7 PF + 0.9 stock (stl+blk) per game.

Stats last two weeks: N/A (two games with three minutes played)

Drake Powell rolled his right ankle again on Thursday, though again, he was walking around the locker room postgame without crutches or a boot or even a limp. Before that, he logged just three minutes of PT against the Mavericks due to what Jordi Fernández termed a lack of “readiness to play,” though Powell responded with a 13/4/3 performance against the Bucks.

“I respect him [Fernández] for that. It just shows that he cares, not only about me as a basketball player but as a human being,” said Powell of the tough love.

Despite the hiccup, Powell has been Brooklyn’s most consistent rookie so far; barring a couple catch-and-shoot threes either rimming in or out, you know what you’re getting on a night-to-night basis, an athletic off-guard trying to hound his opponents and expand his offensive game bit by bit. To that end, I wish Brooklyn ran in transition more, putting Powell in, like, some 3-on-3 situations instead of always having to play 5-on-5.

Alas, per Synergy Sports tracking, Brooklyn has posted the third-lowest share of possessions in transition to this point in the season, and they run even less frequently with Powell on the court. The defense has improved, but it hasn’t made them any faster, exactly.

The head coach explained why: “With the better rebounding, we saw an increase of opportunities. The problem was the amount of turnovers that happened in transition. So those are the things that we have to work on … The priority, I thought, it was rebounding and containing the ball, and I think we’ve done a better job with that. Now we got to go the other way and run, so one step at a time.”

Powell doesn’t yet have counters for when he sees a crowded paint, but when he has space to attack…

…the flashes can be quite bright. Mind the cherry-picking (and the turnover rate), but Powell is one just three rookies shooting 50% from two, 35% from three, and 90% from FT (min. 50 FGA). Ice, elevate that ankle and then give us more please!

Nolan Traore​

In the last Rookie Report, I praised Nolan Traore’s 3-point shot, and hey would you look at that? Over his last nine games, Traore is shooting 25-of-49 from deep, over 50% on 5.4 attempts per game. That, in part, earned him a call-up to the big league club, where he played nine minutes against both Dallas and Milwaukee.

“Nolan deserved to play because he’s done so well with Long Island,” said Fernández. “He’s gotten better every single game, not just the numbers, it’s how he was playing. He was playing the same way we want him to play here: confident, shooting the ball, assist:turnover ratio great, all that stuff about ball-pressuring.”

Fernandez does not appreciate anybody trying to knock his small minute-count either: “Those minutes mean so much. Real minutes mean a lot. So I know that, whatever, eight-to-ten minutes may not seem a lot, but you can really help a team win a game in nine, ten minutes. There’s winning plays, there’s winning stretches.”

You can see Traore’s confidence growing. He hasn’t been perfect down on the Island, but he less often looks overmatched. Anecdotally, some of his drives have felt more under control, even if he’s not getting all the way to the rack…

Clutch bucket for Nolan pic.twitter.com/AHEvyK29Yk

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) December 2, 2025

He’s recorded only six turnovers in his last four games with LIN, after posting three separate games of six turnovers earlier in the season.

Traore didn’t pop off the screen in his 18 NBA minutes this past week; however, he didn’t commit a single turnover, even if he was a bit hesitant to shoot. He wasn’t playing totally free out there, but he was far from shell-shocked. One more run of G League minutes might just be enough to push him back up to Brooklyn full-time, particularly if the tanking intensifies.

Ben Saraf​

Saraf has been assigned to the G League, as the Long Island Nets embark on a three-game road trip starting on Saturday in Mexico City. We’ll see if he’s recalled to Brooklyn anytime during the trip, though it might be nice to get him consistent run after he missed the last two games with an illness.

Despite the occasional highlight, Saraf has really struggled in either location, and while it’s not time to worry about his G League production, 25 assists to 24 made baskets to 23 turnovers likely isn’t the ratio the Nets are looking for from the #26 overall pick. Don’t be surprised if Saraf’s G League stint lasts longer than expected.

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As mentioned, the Long Island Nets take on the Mexico City Capitanes on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET, where Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf are expected to play. That game will be available for ESPN+ subscribers.

The Brooklyn Nets take on the Toronto Raptors at home on Sunday evening, with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET. We’ll have to see about Drake Powell’s ankle, but barring a surprise, Danny Wolf and Egor Dëmin will suit up for that one.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-anal...ashes-too-in-brooklyn-nets-rookie-report-no-6

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Miami Heat at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 PM ET

Welcome back! It’s been a few days, but in case you forgot: Brooklyn is coming off a 45-point win (franchise-high) against the Bucks (without Giannis). Steve Hetzel got his first win ever as a head coach, while Jordi Fernandez stayed home with an illness. He should be back tonight.

KEY INFO​

• WHO: Miami Heat (14-12) at Brooklyn Nets (7-18)
• WHEN: 7:30 PM ET
• WATCH: YES Network / Gotham Sports App

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Injury Report​

Heat (Out):

• Tyler Herro — (toe)
• Nikola Jovic — (elbow)
• Pelle Larsson — (hip/ankle)

Nets (Out):

• Cam Thomas — (hamstring)
• Haywood Highsmith — (knee)
• E.J. Liddell (ankle)
• Ben Saraf — (illness)

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

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...cussion-miami-heat-at-brooklyn-nets-730-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets vs. Raptors preview: headed north to meet cold team

Jordi had said it best after Brooklyn’s 106-95 loss to the Miami Heat.

“Little mistakes that you can correct, and shots going in or not — I’m happy with the looks that we had that didn’t go in. So sometimes, a little bit of that is the difference, right?” Thank you for the quote Collin.

When you have a team as young as this, there will be nights where shots are simply not falling. But if the effort is there, as Jordi seemed to think that it was, you can handle a loss like the one the Nets had a couple of nights ago. As we should know better than any other franchise, it is a marathon, not a sprint. And when you’re rebuilding over a number of years, that marathon can sure stretch out.

Tonight, the Nets will look to get back in the winning column against the Toronto Raptors, who are coming into this contest with a not-so-pleasant loss to the Jaylen Brown-less Celtics. Although the Raptors have the fifth best record in the East, their 3-7 in their last 10 and have a worse record at home (6-7) vs. the road (9-5.)

Where to Watch

Check out the action at 6:00 p.m. sharp on the YES Network, while also streaming on the Gotham Sports App. For out-of-towners, it’s League Pass.

Injury Report

Cam Thomas (left hamstring), Drake Powell (that right ankle again), and Haywood Highsmith (right knee) will all be out. Ben Saraf, Tyson Etienne, and E.J. Liddell will be out on Long Island duties at the G League Winter Showcase in Orlando.

For the Raptors, R.J. Barrett (knee) and Jakob Poeltl (back) will be out.

The Game

The loss against the Celtics was not a good look for the Raptors. First, the Celtics did not have Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. Second, the main options (besides Brandon Ingram who scored 24 points) did not show up. Scottie Barnes went 5-of-15 for a mediocre 12 points, Ja’Kobe Walter, who is not seeing the same amount of action that he saw during his rookie season, only had seven points in 15 minutes of action, and Immanuel Quickly had an abysmal three points in 32 minutes. This is the second game in a row where Quickly went for less than 10 points while playing over 25 minutes.

The Raptors still have a respectable 17-12 record, which is good for fifth in the Eastern Conference. Which means that the Nets still have to look to attack.

Nic Claxton and Michael Porter Jr. could be in the running to have a big game due to the Raptors lack of size. Don’t be surprised if he is able to get in the lane for paint touches in which he can get his own while finding others for open looks. He’s averaging a career high 4.5 assists per game.

Player To Watch: Brandon Ingram

When you look at a player like Brandon Ingram, you realize that consistency can make players underrated in a sense. This season, Ingram has been averaging 22 points per game on 47% from the field. He has been averaging at least 20 for seven seasons now. With his long frame, Ingram can get his shot off whenever he wants. It will be tough to defend him, which is why the Nets should take the approach of what they will willing to give up instead of what they can take away.

As CBS Sports reported Sunday, Ingram has often saved the Raptors and is happ7 to rise to the occasion.

Ingram co-led the Raptors in scoring with Sandro Mamukelashvili, and the former also tied a season high with seven dimes during Saturday’s loss. Ingram continues to carry the scoring load for the Raptors this season, even more so in the absence of RJ Barrett (knee), who has not played since Nov. 23 against the Nets. In the 12 games without Barrett in the lineup, Ingram has averaged 24.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 threes over 35.8 minutes per game.

From the Vault

Greg Biffle, the beloved NASCAR driver who died this week in a private plane crash in North Carolina, was not only known for his championship driving skills but his humanitarian work in the hills of his native North Carolina, raising money for the less fortunate and last year organizing a helicopter ferry service when rural parts of the state became inaccessible during

I'm at a complete loss for words.

Greg Biffle was one of the most heroic volunteers during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

For 2 weeks straight, Greg flew his own personal helicopter every single day to rescue victims who were stranded in the mountains.

A true hero. pic.twitter.com/SDC7kXm1Sz

— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) December 18, 2025

Like a lot of pro athletes and sports figures, Biffle did a lot of his community work outside the limelight. For him, it was a Carolina charity that helped foster children, the extent of his help not known till after his death. Rest in peace.

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

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Toronto Raptors Game Notes – Toronto Raptors
• Porter and the Nets host conference foe Toronto – AP
• NBA considering policy changes to discourage widespread tanking as teams bottom out – Joseph Staszewski – New York Post
• Difficult stretch of schedule could vault Nets back into mix atop NBA’s tank race – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-game...aptors-preview-headed-north-to-meet-cold-team

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets defense shines again vs the Raptors, winning 96-81

“Defense wins championships” is a cliché as old as you’ll find in sports. That might stem from older fans, nostalgic for low scores and clinging to what they grew up on. People might just say it at the sake of sounding different since average viewers are often more engaged by offense, regardless of the sport. Sometimes, like with our NBA champ last year, it’s just god’s honest truth.

I don’t think think the Nets will win a championship this year. I don’t think anyone thinks the Nets will win a championship this year. But defense did help them beat the Toronto Raptors tonight.

Most positive conversations around the Nets lately have started at the defensive end, and that’s not just because they only scored 95 points on Thursday. In the month of December, Brooklyn’s posted the second best defensive rating in the league. The defending champs are the only team they trail, no pun intended.

It’s easy to scoff at a stat like that for a team with only seven wins. It’s hard to get excited about numbers when the one in your win column isn’t very high. But while that may be true, the Nets proved their defensive datum legitimate this evening, and wasted little time getting started as well.

In the first half, the Nets held the Raptors to just 39 first half points, a low in any half for the season. They’d also go on to give up their fewest in a game all year. But started in the first period, when the Nets came away with five steals and forced Toronto to shoot just 7-18 from the field.

“It’s credit to the coaches, to find a way to break things down, when we have time to practice, watch film with the players, do their 1-0 work, embracing the defensive end of the floor, and especially the players, because they’re the ones putting the work in and buying into it,” Fernández said of the defensive turnaround postgame. “We didn’t start well at all defensively. It was very poor. We didn’t buy into a lot of things. Obviously, we have evolved and made some adjustments, but now it feels like we have a good rhythm with our physicality, with our communication, getting multiple stops in a row and making winning plays.”

Brooklyn also flipped the script at the other end in the first, specifically on Toronto. Despite the Raptors being a top five team in transition points per game this season, the Nets outscored them on the break 9-0 in the opening frame. Much of it started with Noah Clowney…

Noah Clowney doing a good job protecting the rim early…putting BKN in position to score via the break pic.twitter.com/2yLXAhdct4

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 21, 2025

Toronto’s live ball turnovers set the Nets up for many of those points, but so did Nolan Traoré. It was only natural that the member of the Flatbush Five known for his speed was a major contributor in Brooklyn’s fast break offense tonight, throttling it forward in the period’s latter half like a french sports car. The Brooklyn Bugatti, if you will, certainly made the most of his first quarter burn with Drake Powell out, appearing in just the seventh game of his career…

Nolan Traoré speed is on display here in the first. Gets the step on Ja'Kobe Walter. pic.twitter.com/FkchlYlHUk

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 21, 2025

Traoré even nailed a deep triple and rejected a driving Immanuel Quickly a few minutes later — two plays which felt far beyond his range in more ways than one less than a month ago…

Deep triple for Nolan Traoré. He's making the most of his minutes so far tonight. pic.twitter.com/rXWAV05599

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 21, 2025

Add a block on Immanuel Quickley to the ledger… pic.twitter.com/626vpzuTJq

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 22, 2025

“He’s playing with great energy, and then also contributing on the offensive end, on the floor, you know, he’s shooting the ball,” Fernández said of Traoré who played 31 minutes for the Long Island Nets Saturday afternoon. “He’s shooting well, he’s getting to the free throw line. All those things are impressive and the sky is the limit for this kid.”

Evidenced by the above, Traoré stayed in to begin the second, where the Nets started with a 24-18 advantage. An 8-0 Raptor run to begin that period gave Toronto a quick lead, but the Nets recovered even quicken and without Nic Claxton, who had to exit and receive stitches after taking a shot to the face.

Often working around Day’Ron Sharpe screens, Michael Porter Jr. just kept doing what he does to keep the Nets ahead — scoring on the interior, exterior, and still doing it more efficiently than almost everyone expected him to this season. MPJ poured in 10 points in the second period while shooting 3-5 from the field and 2-4 from deep. He led all scorers at half with 17 points along with two assists, four rebounds, and a steal. The Nets went into the break with a 49-39 advantage…

17 points for MPJ at the half.#NBAAllStar votes count 3x today btw » https://t.co/HMJ1hUXd1C pic.twitter.com/KTtIvAMep0

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 22, 2025

Clowney and Porter Jr. scored Brooklyn’s first 11 points of the third to match Toronto’s offensive output through the period’s first six minutes. Ja’Kobe Walter must’ve missed the clips I posted earlier of the former’s rim defense, because he tried to end Clowney’s existence at one point in that quarter too.

That, or he did catch them, and hoped to get revenge for his rejected teammates. If that’s the case, he had as much luck as Harvey Dent did in The Dark Knight, coincidentally losing to the big guy wearing black…

WHAT A BLOCK BY NOAH CLOWNEY pic.twitter.com/2VBmqFJKNV

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 22, 2025

But Brooklyn’s fun in the period ended there. Whatever turnover bug Toronto picked up before tonight eventually proved itself to be contagious. The Nets matched their entire turnover output for the first half in the third alone with nine giveaways. They ended up with 22 for the game, making it a lone, but sizable blemish on the box score tonight.

Those mishaps set the stage for a Toronto comeback, and in the final minutes of the third, Quickley shined atop it, splashing two quick triple that capped off an 11-o run. That made it a two point game entering the fourth.

IQ WITH BACK-TO-BACK 3s pic.twitter.com/nPmM4men3a

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) December 22, 2025

Then, just a few seconds into the fourth, Quickley created two more buckets for Jamison Battle and Collin Murray-Boyles, which gave Toronto its first lead since the second.

After the scoreboard flashed Toronto’s advantage and a shouting, smiling Quickley, the guys from up north looked ready to truly own the first day of winter.

However, Egor Dëmin is from Russia — where the winter bites harder. His blood runs just as cold. Much like in the Boston game, he calmly knocked down a handful of shots after a Fernández timeout, seizing the moment and pushing the Nets back in front…

Egor Dëmin splashes it from near the logo… pic.twitter.com/vwg1BfnPNb

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 22, 2025

Not long after, Brooklyn then reinflated its lead to 13 points with 4:42 to go via a 16-2 run, started by Dëmin. With win No. 8 within reach, the Nets still valued their rebuild down the stretch, closing with a lineup that featured their rookie ball-handers in Dëmin and Troaré up top. Danny Wolf even logged some late minutes, assisting on Dëmin’s third three of the period, before Toronto waived the white flag with about two to go.

The Raptors, even with veterans like Scottie Barnes and Ingram on the floor, simultaneously went scoreless for seven minutes.

“Egor’s threes were huge,” Fernández said. “And then from there, I think everybody contributed to the win in that fourth quarter…We remained composed, and we fought all the way through, and it was, it was really good to see against a very good team.”

Dëmin finished with 16 points, three assists, five boards, and two steals. He shot 4-of-8 from deep and 6-of-10 overall. Porter Jr. led the way with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists while shooting 9-of-18 from the field and 4—of-8 from deep as well. Clowney followed with 19 points, grabbing nine rebounds and those two blocks. Claxton (12 points) and Sharpe (8 points, 4 assists) also turned in fine nights, but Troaré’s progress was perhaps more considerable. He finished with eight points, two assists, a block, steal, and two rebounds while shooting 3-9 from the field and 1-4 from deep.

“I was waiting for this game and I just took the opportunity they gave me,” Traoré said. “I think I did good and I hope it will continue…I think we played for 48 minutes. We won three of the four quarters. So, I think it was a team win, and it was a very good game.”

Coming into tonight, Toronto looked like the tree that the seed that is the Brooklyn Nets will hope to grow into next year. The Raptors are a winning team, built on the backs of young talent and salary dumped players who are now (almost) justifying their contracts. That’s exactly who the Nets want to be, and what they’re building to.

But tonight, they beat them. Perhaps the seed is growing faster than we expected.

Final: Brooklyn Nets 96, Toronto Raptors 81

Milestone Watch​

• After the Milwaukee game, where the Nets held the Bucks to 82 points on 12/14, this is the first time the Nets have held their opponent to 82 points or fewer multiple times in a season since 2018-19 (twice). With tonight accounted for, they’re also now holding opponents to 102.3 points per game in December, the fewest in the NBA.
• Egor Dёmin had 16 points tonight against the Raptors on 6-10 FG and 4-8 3PT. It is his fifth game this season with at least four 3-pointers made, tied with Bojan Bogdanović in 2014-15 for the second most by a rookie in franchise history (Kerry Kittles, nine times, 1996-97).

Injury Report​

Pregame, Jordi Fernández provided a couple of updates on injured Nets, one short and one long. On Drake Powell, who on Thursday sprained his right ankle for the third time this season, but was walking around postgame without crutches, a boot, or a noteworthy limp: “Yeah, not concerned. He’ll be back soon.”

And on Cam Thomas, who missed his 19th straight game with a left hamstring injury: “CT is doing great. He had his 5-on-5 yesterday, looked really good. And he’s going to continue to do that until we feel he’s ready to go. Big part of the non-contact with the rest of the team. Like I said, played a 5-on-5, and it’s just a matter of when. We’re not targeting a specific date, but we want to see how he feels, and then go to the next session, see how he feels, and then keep building from there.”

Next Up​

The Nets will head south for their third game of the season against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday evening. Brooklyn failed to pull in a win against Philly in either of their first two contests, which were both held at the Barclays Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 96, Toronto Raptors 81 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Net 96, Toronto Raptors 81 (Video) – NBA
• Porter and Clowney lead the Nets to a 96-81 victory over the Raptors – Adry Torres – AP
• Nets use suddenly stifling defense to rout Raptors – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Defense carries Nets past Raptors for 96-81 win ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Cam Thomas takes significant step towards return from injury as trade buzz grows – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
• Nets player grades: Michael Porter Jr. drops 24 in win over Raptors – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...vs-raptors-96-81-egor-demin-michael-porter-jr

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

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

The Nets are back again after another short break, looking for a bounce-back performance tonight against a Raptors team that has struggled to maintain consistency lately. This is the third meeting this season between the teams, with Toronto winning the previous two.

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KEY INFO​

• WHO: Toronto Raptors (17–12) @ Brooklyn Nets (7–19)
• WHEN: 6:00 PM ET
• WATCH: YES Network

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INJURY REPORT​

Toronto Raptors​

• RJ Barrett — Out (Knee)

Brooklyn Nets​

• Cam Thomas — Out (Hamstring)
• Drake Powell — Out (Ankle)
• Haywood Highsmith — Out (Knee)
• Ben Saraf — Out (Illness)

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

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

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Lichtenstein: Should Nets trade Michael Porter Jr.? It’s not that easy

MIchael Porter Jr. is having the time of his life and that success is driving yet another debate in Nets World fan base between the tankers who want nothing less than one of the three franchise-changers at the top of the 2026 Draft and those tanking skeptics who want to let things play out, let the chips fall where they may come the Lottery in mid-May. After all, they note, the last two No. 1 picks were awarded to play-in teams, the Atlanta Hawks in 2024 and the Dallas Mavericks last year.

The argument on the tanking side of things is simple: lose now and win later, putting aside all the vagaries of the draft. Dumping Michael Porter Jr. — ASAP! — would just makes things sweeter: He could bring back yet another first rounder, maybe in 2026, the Holy Grail of draftniks and improve the team’s chances in the lottery come mid-May. But wait, writes Steve Lichtenstein, the former WFAN write who now has his own substack, Steve’s Newsletter, things aren’t so simple.

The 27-year-old 6’10” forward who won a chip with the Nuggets three seasons back is indeed having a great season. After the Nets win Sunday night vs. the Toronto Raptors, Porter is averaging 25.6 points on 49/40/82 shooting splits along with 7.4 boards and 3.3 assists. In the last month, the numbers have gotten even better: 28.7 on 51/47/79 splits with 7.6 boards and 4.0 assists. Them’s all-start numbers.

Moreover, Porter who was the fourth option in Denver has now become a leader on the league’s youngest team. So, as Lichtenstein writes, in normal times, all that would lead to a bidding war. But Lichtenstein argues these are not normal times for a lot of reasons, some but not all related to the CBA.

From my vantage, it just seems like teams are continuing to circle the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement with caution. General Managers would rather part with a kidney than a first-round pick. Well, unless they deem the acquired player a transformational piece or perhaps a sure thing that they believe will put them over the hump in their Championship quest.

Waiving-and-stretching bad contracts became the more preferable avenue than attaching an asset, especially a 1, just to dump it in a trade. Whereas the old salary cap rules had exceptions you could drive a truck through, those routes are now obstructed by aprons.

Indeed, the Nets attempt to pry a second first rounder in the 2026 Draft beyond their own failed last summer. There was no market, as Lichtenstein noted. The June draft is seen as even better than the 2025 Draft which looks very good a third of the way into the season. Sean Marks & co. did extract the Nuggets unprotected first in 2032 in the Porter deal, another first that became Drake Powell and three seconds in four salary dumps. At the moment, Brooklyn has 32 draft picks: 13 firsts, 10 of them tradeable, and 19 seconds, all tradeable.

Lichtenstein breaks down the reasons why he thinks MPJ may not return what fans want, another unprotected first, at least for the moment.

• While Porter has proven himself “a complementary cog on a champion in Denver,” there are doubts that he can be the lead guy anywhere but Brooklyn where he is that guy be default, Lichtenstein argues. (As he does in each of his arguments, Lichtenstein notes his positives, not just his 40% career 3-point percentage but his 37.4% mark over 75 playoff games.)

• Porter’s contract will be hard to move, particularly at the deadline when only one team — his — has cap space. Lichtenstein notes “Porter’s contract—he is owed $40.8 million next season on top of the $38.3 million cap number … has to be matched by an acquiring team in an in-season trade.”
• MPG’s contract is so large that if the Nets require a first rounder in exchange, they’ll have to take on bad contracts to fill out a trade package. Lichtenstein notes that the Nets had to take on Terrance Mann’s three-year, $47 million deal to acquire the pick that became Powell as well as $1.1 million in cash. “It might not be so easy to put together a Porter proposal that sticks the Nets with a couple more of them.”

Lichtenstein doesn’t mention the salary cap floor the Nets would have to meet or face some real sanctions — like a prohibition on aggregating salaries — at the deadline. Brooklyn currently has less than $200,000 of a cushion in that calculation.

He also cites a number of trade scenarios that might be appealing to fans, but again argues they have downsides, putting aside the draft assets that might flow to Brooklyn. The deal that seems to have he most currency in fans’ trade machinery is one with Detroit.

The cleanest trade partner is Detroit, who has the $26.6 million expiring contract of Tobias Harris plus a selection of salary-matching reserves, including old friend Caris LeVert. The Pistons are 21st in the league in three-point field goal percentage. The question for them, though, is how much would Porter represent an improvement over their No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference lineup. Would they attach a 1 in such a scenario, because the Nets have no incentive to sign off without it? It’s not clear-cut.

The Pistons have all their own firsts available. but they’re likely to be Tlow considering how well their youngsters are playing.

Then, there’s the reality that the Oklahoma City Thunder may run away with the NBA championship and no mid-season deal, particularly one with unprotected firsts, is likely to change that.

[T]here might not be any urgency for rivals to go all-in. I don’t envision anyone pulling the trigger on such a move until much closer to the February 5 trade deadline. If then.

Lichtenstein concedes that without MPJ, the Nets are likely to lose more games — “Porter is such a gamebreaker that he can sway a couple of marginal games into the ’wins’” column.“ That, he adds, ”was Marks’ ‘mistake’ last season, according to the fervent pro-tanking fans, until it was too late.“

So, maybe it’s better to wait till the off-season when a lot of the issues cited by Lichtenstein will either go away or dissipate. Back when he was traded to the Nets last June, the punditry all suggested that that would be the plan: pump up his value after a highly successful season.

The worst-case scenario with an MPJ trade, absent him getting hurt, is that the Nets don’t get any offers that include first round picks. Lichtenstein, whose position on tanking in general is well known — he hates it, wonders whether it would be smarter just to wait and let things play out.

To a tanking agnostics, the worst outcome this time would be if Porter were dealt for second rounders. The Nets already have 19 of them over the next seven Drafts, including three in 2026. I’d rather they keep Porter and live with the lottery consequences if 1s are out of bounds.

It seems likely that any trade scenarios won’t materialize until closer to the February 5 — 3:00 p.m. ET — deadline five weeks from now. A lot can happen between now and then.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-rumo...ets-trade-michael-porter-jr-its-not-that-easy

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

The Long Forecast: Wagler, Yessoufou headline rising draft stock

Welcome to Week 4 of The Long Forecast on NetsDaily.

With the New Year right around the corner and the college basketball season in full swing, the focus continues to sharpen on the NBA draft.

Each week brings new names and a clearer picture of which prospects are starting to separate themselves ahead of June.

Where do the Nets’ picks sit?​

Since last week’s column, the Nets have gone 1-1 and still hold the league’s sixth-worst record at 8-19.

Currently, Brooklyn’s own second-round pick sits at No. 36 overall, while their additional night-two selection projects at No. 45, rising two spots since last week’s update. Here’s the latest mock draft from Tankathon and Ben Pfiefer.

Risers​

Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Listed as a sleeper two weeks ago, Wagler has firmly established himself in riser territory as his draft stock has been soaring as of late.

Keaton Wagler is the only 6'6"+ freshman in the nation with a 15%+ assist rate shooting 40%+ from 3.

Thing I love most is his paint touch playmaking which is evident from his signature spin move.

Uses the spin to create space, draw help & does SO well finding shooters/cutters… pic.twitter.com/pAq6kOG62e

— Ryan Hammer (@ryanhammer09) December 23, 2025

Over the past three games, Wagler has been on a tear, averaging 21.3 points per game while shooting 54.2% from the field and knocking down a whopping 63% of his 3-point attempts, while adding 6.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds.

The 18-year-old also possesses great floor vision along with a high basketball IQ.

This is an awesome pass by Keaton Wagler. Really good example of his composure under pressure, floor vision, and ability to move weak side defenders with his eyes based on knowing where their rotations have to go. pic.twitter.com/rv92ivx5F1

— Tyler Metcalf (@tmetcalf11) December 23, 2025

If Wagler continues to play at this rate, come draft time, he could firmly be in the conversation as a top 10 selection.

Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor

My biggest concern about opening the season was Yessoufou’s offensive inconsistency.

That concern is starting to fade. and his draft status brightening. Yessoufou has shown real, tangible growth on that end of the floor, a promising sign for NBA evaluators as he continues to tap into an offensive ceiling that still feels far from fully realized.

Smooth Tounde Yessoufou footwork on the fadeaway middy pic.twitter.com/6iP6mEssLM

— NBA Draft Dude (@CoreyTulaba) December 11, 2025

Over his past five games, Yessoufou is averaging 20.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 51.2% from the field, highlighted by a 28-point performance against Southern.

Baylor's Tounde Yessoufou TORE IT UP Sunday afternoon

28 POINTS
8/14 from the Field – 3/6 from 3PT Range
8 Rebounds
6 Assists
2 Steals
2 Blocks

Highlights#Big12MBB | @BaylorMBB pic.twitter.com/Zd4zjixkt8

— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) December 21, 2025

If this level of production holds, the conversation around Yessoufou will begin to shift drastically.

Fallers​

Nate Amnet, Tennessee

Placed in this category two weeks ago, Amnet finds himself trending downward once again.

Consistency has been the biggest issue on both ends of the floor this season. Over his past five games, Amnet is averaging 12.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting a grim 32.8% from the field, production that continues to raise questions as the season moves forward.

It is still early in his freshman year, and there is plenty of time for things to turn around. But if this is still the conversation a month from now, concern will be warranted. For now, it is certainly not a promising start to his college career.

Spotlight of the week​

Caleb Wilson, North Carolina

Caleb Wilson has looked the part from day one in Chapel Hill.

Through the season’s opening stretch, the UNC freshman has been one of the most productive players in the country, averaging 19.5 points and 10.4 rebounds while shooting 54.6% from the field.

UNC freshman Caleb Wilson puts up his ninth double-double in 13 games

21 PTS | 7-11 FG | 12 REB | 4 BLK | 3 STL | 24 MINS pic.twitter.com/sQJpnYYKgt

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) December 23, 2025

The 6’10” forward plays with great pace, finishes through contact, and consistently wins on the glass. Most of his damage comes inside, but he’s comfortable facing up and attacking slower defenders, which gives scouts an idea of his offensive capabilities at the NBA level.

Caleb Wilson vs E. Carolina tonight..

21 PTS (7-11 FG, 7-13 FTs)
12 REBS
4 BLKS
3 STLS

Im not big into comparing games..

But as far as production in his own style.. he’s like Evan Mobley and Kevin Garnett.. again Impact wise.. his style of game is his own style of game…

If… pic.twitter.com/bPLvCnh4g6

— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) December 23, 2025

Wilson is playing with an identity most freshmen haven’t found yet.

Sleepers​

Blue Cain, Georgia

Through the season’s early stretch, Cain has been one of the most quietly productive players for Georgia.

The junior guard is averaging about 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting just over 50% from the field this year, showing not just scoring but a well-rounded impact on both ends.

Jeremiah Wilkinson and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Wilkinson put up a solid 26 vs Western Carolina last night, and the Bulldogs are now 10-1.

Wilkinson + Blue Cain is one of the sneakiest backcourts in America
pic.twitter.com/KqTYXLxZ4e

— College Basketball Headquarters (@CBBheadquarters) December 19, 2025

He’s been ultra-efficient, posting a 64% true shooting rate, a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and a 4% steal rate. Cain processes the game quickly and is a competent decision-maker.

His 3-point shot needs work, shooting the 3-ball at just over a 30% clip, but the touch is there — he’s converting 88% of his free throws, a strong indicator of shooting upside.

All aboard the Blue Cain Train

The Georgia JR is having a phenomenal season. Upped his scoring by over 6 PTS in less mpg. Has been uber efficient—sporting a 64% TS with a 3:1 ast:tov and a 4% STL%. Quick processor/decision maker. Shooting 74.5% at the rim with 8 dunks per… pic.twitter.com/oz2xjoRpoj

— NBA Draft Dude (@CoreyTulaba) December 23, 2025

Cain is a fun prospect to watch as the NCAA season progresses.

This week’s watch guide​

Here is a list of games fans should tune into this week:

• Illinois vs. Southern: December 29, 3 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Illinois’ Keaton Wagler.
• Georgia vs. Long Island: December 28, 7 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Georgia’s Blue Cain.
• Arkansas vs. James Madison: December 28, 8 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas.
• Arizona vs. South Dakota State: December 28, 9 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Arizona’s Koa Peat.
• Tennessee vs. South Carolina State: December 30, 8 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Tennessee’s Nate Amnet.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-draf...-wagler-yessoufou-headline-rising-draft-stock

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets outwork 76ers for second straight win, 114-106, in Philly

Even without the win totals, talent, or even fan pull in their own home city, the Brooklyn Nets pride themselves on their ability to show up for work every single day. The hard hats, plastic lunch pails, and steel-toed boots thing may be long gone from the NBA, with Blake Griffin now in the broadcast booth and Patty Mills out of the league, but its spirit lingers nonetheless some places… and one of them is in Brooklyn.

That gritty attitude’s not unique to the Nets, no matter how much Jordi Fernández talks about it, or Brooklyn’s marketing team tries to claim it. However, it sure felt foreign early tonight in the “fighting” city of Philadelphia.

In fairness, everyone wants an easy day of work before going into the holiday break, and Nets also looked to be in the giving mood early in game no. 28. It took seven possessions for Brooklyn to finally see a shot go down — and even that was just one out of two free throws.

But their Christmas spirit didn’t last long. No. led by a notorious grinch and some youthful elves, Brooklyn decided they were going to bah humbug all over the city of Brotherly Love.

Michael Porter Jr., in particular, wasn’t fancying any red-and-ermine Victorian era decor this evening. Not at all. He wore a smile on his face all night rather than a cold scowl. Other than that, he played a convincing Ebenezer Scrooge in this holiday scenario. Curious Mike put in 12 points in a little over two minutes in the heart of the first period, simultaneously saying “not so fast” to the Sixers hoping to scurry off with a free win.

Porter Jr. ended up scoring 14 of Brooklyn’s 27 points in the quarter. Those are the second most points he’s had in a quarter all season, just trailing the 16 he put up against Boston on November 21st.

MPJ hits three straight threes to give the Nets the lead. He's locked in. pic.twitter.com/Ahws8mckGj

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 24, 2025

“That’s what All-Stars do,” Nic Claxton said of MPJ. “They come out and they play at an extremely high level every single night. They demand double teams. They make their teammates better, they make the game easier for everybody else. He was really good for us tonight, getting us going, especially in the first half, and that’s what we expect from him every night.”

Claxton was able to support Porter postgame, but couldn’t do the same in that first quarter. Joel Embiid came out looking for his shot to lead the Brooklyn center into foul trouble, as Clax picked up two personals less than four minutes into the contest. We were then gifted s a heavy dose of Day’Ron Sharpe in the frame, who ultimately just missed a double-double tonight with nine points and 11 rebounds. Danny Wolf got some first period burn as well. Nolan Traoré joined him on the floor too, making it the second straight game where the rookie received non-garbage time minutes.

Ben Saraf, who was activated before the game, never got in, even after setting the G-League ablaze yesterday. Brooklyn probably could have used him and his touted on-court poise though in the second quarter, where the Net offense hit a few bumps. Brooklyn turned it over six times leading to seven extra Philadelphia points in the period, which allowed them to take a momentary lead…

54 seconds of prime PG pic.twitter.com/NzhVMHYgV9

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 24, 2025

Finally, among elves there was Egor Demin who kept up his recent string of hard work.

So, when behind, or under their high-flying hosts, the Nets went back to what’s been working for them: suffocating defense. Tyrese Maxey seemed to struggle breathing the most. The league’s third leading scorer was held scoreless for until the 2:02 mark of the second. At one point in the second period, he and Sixers didn’t score for roughly three minutes, ushering the Nets into a 15-3 run.

“He just wasn’t in a good flow tonight,” Claxton said of Maxey. “I think he was a little frustrated. Some things may have been getting in his way, a little bit out there. I think I might have flustered him a little bit.”

Speaking of Claxton, he refused to stay silent after his quite first quarter, unlike Maxey. Igniting the break after many of those Sixer misses, he added 10 second quarter points while shooting a perfect 4-4 from the floor. Porter Jr. got his way to 25 first half points, the most he’s had in a game in his career. The Nets added to their lead in the process, and went into the half up 63-57.

“It was big, we were in the game, we had the lead, and Mike was a big part of it,” Fernández said. “As you guys know, he makes open shots, he makes contested shots, and he makes impossible shots. He was huge for us.”

Embiid led Philadelphia at that point with 19 points but ran into trouble, or Terance Mann, soon after that. He tripped over Brooklyn’s combo guard in the third quarter’s opening possession. He stayed on the deck for a while after the collision, and after getting up, went straight back to the locker room. He’d eventually return but without the aggression which fueled Philly’s offense early.

Embiid’s momentary exit seemed like a call for Maxey or Paul George to turn things up, but it was old friend Andre Drummond who answered. The journeyman big scored six points in the third’s first four minutes to keep the scoring up for the then Embiid-less Sixers. He took a page out of Brooklyn’s book to do so, with many of those buckets being second chance points, which the Nets outscored Philadelphia in 11-4 during the first half.

Meanwhile, Maxey looked like someone with the ground shrinking under him. He kept clanking the step backs were usually see him bury. He also picked up his fourth foul of the game less than halfway through the period after crashing into Dëmin, who finished with 20 points tonight, began his second half onslaught from downtown.

Egor Dëmin gets the first four-point play of his career pic.twitter.com/l9k8gG2SbY

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 24, 2025

As mentioned, Dëmin would have more to say later on, including five dimes four more triples. But for as majestic as that hit for was for him, Traoré was the rookie guard to get Brooklyn’s offense really humming in the third period. Some might call the Sixers throwing two at him an ludicrous defensive decision. I’ll just call it the Nets eating what’s in front of them…

Traoré finds Sharpe from way across the court pic.twitter.com/Tws3B1q125

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 24, 2025

Ziaire Williams and Tyrese Martin mixed in triples not long after Sharpe’s, also benefitting from the Brooklyn’s pass-heavy offense leveraging its way around Sixer blitzes. The Nets promptly went up 89-77 going into the fourth.

There, boos from the always friendly Philadelphia crowd started to rain down. The Sixers started the period 0-5 from the field. Traoré especially did well staying in front of the Jared McCain in the process. McCain joined his backcourt mate in the dog house tonight, as he and Maxey combined to shoot just 6-25 from the field during the contest.

With 7:11 to go, the Nets led by 19, their largest advantage of the night. Philly then started throwing a few extra stunts at Brooklyn, and their frenzied defensive attack halted the Nets offense for a few minutes. A triple from George, only his team’s fifth for the game made it a nine point game with roughly three and a half to play.

But even as the pressure mounted, the Nets did all the right things to dial it back a few notches. For a second straight game, Dëmin delivered “silencer” shots, except this time actually in front of opposing fans. His two quick triples put the Nets up 14 with under two to play. Maxey even assisted on one of them…

Tyrese Maxey can't catch a break tonight pic.twitter.com/TaIZqBjPvf

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 24, 2025

While Fernández acknowledged the importance of those makes, he also noted that’s he’s been impressed with the other aspects of Dëmin’s game lately and explained the mindset he wants him to carry going forward.

“I think it’s good when you see the shots go in,” he said. “I’m very happy for him, but what I’m very proud of him, is, there’s two possessions that he guards the ball, he checks the drive, he’s physical, he kept Maxey in front one or two times, and with McCain, and that’s the growth that I want to see — how his physicality is getting better on both sides of the floor, because I know he’s going to make shots. I know he’s going to find his teammates, he got five assists, and he’s got to keep shooting. Sometimes they’re going to go in, sometimes they’re not going to go in, but he’s a great shooter…Right now, I want him to have the mindset of going into the next game and having a good game whether the shots go in or not.”

McCain hit two threes with under a minute which gave them license to play the foul game, but all that did was put a few more minutes between them and their time off. The cold-blooded kid from Moscow iced the game with free throws — and introduced the Nets to their eighth win of the season.

Final: Brooklyn Nets 114, Philadelphia 76ers 106

Milestone Watch​

• The Nets have allowed 375 total points (93.8 per game) over their last four games, their fewest in a four-game span since 11/5-12, 2022. They have allowed 102.7 points per game across nine games in December, the fewest in the NBA.
• Egor Dëmin’s five 3-pointers are tied for the most of his career in a game (11/28 vs. PHI). It is his sixth game this season with at least four 3-pointers, the second most among rookies this season (Kon Knueppel, 16) and second most by a rookie in franchise history (Kerry Kittles, 9).
• Dëmin has also scored 14+ points in four straight games, joining Cam Thomas (eight straight games in 2021-22) and Jarrett Allen (four in 2017-18) as the only Nets rookies with such a streak in the past 10 seasons.
• Nic Claxton now has 85 double-doubles in his career, one behind tying Sam Bowie (86) for the eighth-most in franchise history.

Next Up​

Tank commanders, rejoice. Brooklyn’s next game will feature a more formidable than any we’ve seen in weeks, and certainly more star power via the Ant Man. The Nets will take three days off and then hit the road for Minnesota on Saturday. The game is scheduled to tipoff at 8:00 p.m. ET.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 114, Philadelphia 76ers 106 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 114, Philadelphia 76ers (Video) – NBA
• Michael Porter Jr. & Egor Dëmin Lead Nets To 114-106 Win Over Philadelphia (Video) – Brooklyn Nets
• Jordi Fernández Discusses Nets Road Victory In Philadelphia (Video) – Brooklyn Nets
• Porter scores 28 points, Nets beat 76ers 114-106 for third win in four games – AP
• Michael Porter Jr. leads Nets to impressive win over 76ers as tank takes hit – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Michael Porter Jr. sparks early, Nets’ defense carries win in Philly ($) – C,J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. reveals most impressive aspect of Egor Demin’s game – Paolo Mariano – Clutch Points
• Nets player grades: Michael Porter Jr. nets 28 in 114-106 win at 76ers – Sharif Phillips-Keaton

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scores-results/103465/nets-vs-76ers-114-106-egor-demin-michael-porter

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:00 PM ET

Sunday night was a reminder that for the Nets: Anything is possible when they’re locked in collectively on the defensive side of the ball. No matter who’s on the floor. In other related news, Ben Saraf went off for 40 points in the G-League showcase, so that’s good news.

Let’s see if these guys can stay hot — they’re 5-3 in the past eight games.

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KEY INFO​

• WHO: Brooklyn Nets (8-19) @ Philadelphia 76ers (17-13)
• WHEN: 7:00 PM ET
• WATCH: YES Network

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NETS INJURY REPORT​

• Cam Thomas — OUT (hamstring)
• Drake Powell — OUT (ankle)
• Haywood Highsmith — OUT

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

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...brooklyn-nets-at-philadelphia-76ers-700-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Shams: NBA wants to make tanking harder … unlikely to affect Nets

The “T” word is a no-no in most NBA front offices. It conjures up teams willfully losing games to get better draft position or avoid having to give up a protected pick. GMs and others would prefer to call their long-term strategy “flexibility for sustained success” explain the difference between tanking and rebuilding.

Tanking is deliberately losing games by manipulating who gets minutes in key games. Rebuilding is about creating a roster that is unlikely to succeed — perhaps because of its youth — on the court but one which management thinks doesn’t insult the integrity of the game. Did we mention that rostering a young team can work?

Sometimes, of course, the line isn’t always a bright one and maybe someone says something that gives away the punchline, like Joe Tsai may have done in September when he discussed the team’s strategy this September

“Well, I have to say that we’re in a rebuilding year,” Tsai said on the All-In podcast back in September. “We spent all of our [2025] picks — we had five first-round draft picks this past summer. We have one pick in 2026, and we hope to get a good pick. So you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season. But we have a very young team.”

Now, Shams Charania reports the league is taking note of how many teams are trying to get a top pick and is looking for solutions to make sure that teams aren’t losing on purpose. Is it likely to affect the Nets? Not for years. The process is still in its early stage. Back in the 2017, the last time the NBA looked into making the Draft less prone to tanking, the changes took two years to implement. Moreover, and this seems more important, Shams description of what the Nets are doing leans toward a rebuild rather than a tank.

Shams said the discussion began in earnest Friday at the NBA Board of Governors — aka the owners or their reps — meeting in Orlando.

In recent years, multiple teams have either shut down players early or sat players for games to try to improve their draft positioning, often tied to a protected pick. Sources said multiple ideas were proposed as a brainstorming measure to combat tanking, including:

Limiting pick protections to either top four or 14 and higher, which would eliminate the problematic mid-lottery protections

No longer allowing a team to draft in the top four two years in a row

Locking lottery positions after March 1

These ideas, which came from the league and its high-ranking officials, would theoretically dissuade non-playoff teams from sitting their starters for games throughout the season and provide reason to continue to try to win games, particularly down the stretch of a campaign.

Shams, however, was quick to point out the changes are not meant to stifle rebuilds which are most often based on tearing down the old rosters and replacing them with younger players chosen in the draft through a lottery that’s based on the team’s record in a previous season.

As multiple sources described, the attempts to find solutions to tanking are not intended to deter rebuilding teams who use their players as normal but rather teams that deliberately manipulate their rosters down the stretch of a season to land a higher pick or a protection range.

That sounds like what Sean Marks & co. have been doing since last season, winning the No. 8 pick in 2025 and hoping for a top four pick this June.

Shams points to three examples from recent NBA Drafts where teams deliberately tried to spin losing into better draft position. In each case, the tank succeeded. Two of the three — the Mavericks in 2023 and the Jazz last year — were ultimately fined but kept the picks they sought by losing. Last year, the 76ers who were not fined were rewarded for their efforts which mostly concerned keeping players out with questionable injuries and illnesses.

Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers, who entered the year with title aspirations, were able to preserve the top-six-protected pick they owed the Thunder. They lost 29 of their last 37 games, finishing with the fifth-worst record entering the lottery. They moved up two slots in May and selected guard VJ Edgecombe at No. 3. That pick is now top-four protected in the 2026 draft; it’s currently slotted 21st, as Philadelphia is 16-11 and Edgecombe is averaging 16 points per game.

No one has seriously accused the Nets of keeping healthy players out of games to help their draft lottery position, but if they start winning and they decide against trading Michael Porter Jr., there might a temptation to do the same.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-draf...o-make-tanking-harder-unlikely-to-affect-nets

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Jordi Fernandez promises Ben Saraf will be ‘great NBA player’

Back before the NBA Draft in June, Jordi Fernandez made it known in scouting meetings that he liked the Israeli point guard Ben Saraf. The Nets head coach, an admirer of European basketball and knowledgeable about FIBA talent — having been the head coach of Team Canada, was a strong advocate of the 6’7” (in shoes) combo guard. So when the 26th pick arrived, Sean Marks & co. selected Saraf. When the season opened in October and Egor Demin was still recovering from a torn plantar faschia, Fernandez chose Saraf as his starting PG. Things didn’t work out that well then, but the head coach didn’t lose faith in the 19-year-old.

So when Saraf exploded two days ago and scored 40 points in the G League Showcase, Fernandez was ready to endorse him again, this time to Nets beat writers.

“He was composed the whole game,” said . Obviously, he scored 40 points, but he looked like an NBA player out there,” Fernandez said after the Nets win over Philly. “We watched the game and how confident he was, how he shot the ball, how he shot the three, and his just finishes around the rim. If he would have finished a few more at the rim, he could have scored 50.

“And those are the challenges. He’s really hard on himself. And that’s why Ben is so great, and he will be a great NBA player. But I was happy that he helped the team compete and get a win. That’s got to be the main purpose, whether you play here with the Nets or in Long Island, is you want to help the team compete and then come out with a win.”

Strong praise but the eighth youngest player in the NBA this season was all that Fernandez described. Saraf finished this game connecting on 14 of his 26 shot attempts, including going six-of-10 from beyond the arc. All of these numbers marked career-highs. He also registered six rebounds and four assists.

Fernandez certainly would have knowledge of his potential from Saraf’s FIBA exploits.

A little more than a year ago, he averaged 28.1 points for Israel in the FIBA Europe’s U19 tournament, winning MVP honors. Two years earlier, he averaged 24.3 for the Israeli junior national team in FIBA Europe’s U16 tournament.

As Erik Slater noted Wednesday, the explosion — the second highest game total in the four-day, 31-game tournament — wasn’t completely unexpected.

Saraf has shown flashes of high-level advantage creation during his NBA minutes. However, he’s struggled as an outside shooter and finisher. The 19-year-old has averaged 5.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.2 turnovers on .362/.250/.769 shooting splits across 10 appearances during which he played over 10 minutes.

Now, of course, will come the quest for minutes at the NBA level. Saraf was called up by Brooklyn after his big performance in the Winter Showcase, flying up from Orlando, but didn’t get any time on the court vs. the 76ers. Expect Fernandez to reward him the way he’s rewarded Nolan Traore following his improvements with Long Island. The Nets have plenty of time to further develop Saraf. He’s the eighth youngest player in the NBA.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...z-promises-ben-saraf-will-be-great-nba-player

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Common and the Social Justice Fund team up to help Brooklyn

The holidays are always a special time. It’s a time to reflect on the year, take stock of where you find yourself, and begin preparing for the new year ahead. It’s also a time to build community and create new relationships that will guide your future. In early December, we got to see that in action here in Brooklyn.

On December 6, the Brooklyn Nets hosted the Dream Summit at their new Brooklyn Basketball Training Center. The new Center has been open since September 25 and has already hosted community events featuring the Nets and New York Liberty. The Social Justice Fund hosted the event on the 6th, and as we’ve covered here at NetsDaily, the SJF has worked to uplift various organizations and causes in Brooklyn.

This time around, they linked up with a Chicago hero.

Common has been involved in community efforts for many years. The Chicago artist, activist, and entrepreneur has been active across the United States in advocating for various causes over the decades and continues to do so heading into 2026. Free to Dream has been active since 2024 and has assisted kids in places such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and now New York. This line from their website stands out and is something we should all remember:

“We don’t know what the future will look like, but we do know the dreams of this next generation will help create it.“

That guiding light influences the work Free to Dream does, and it was on display in Brooklyn on December 6

“One of the things I always wanted to be a part of is things that can be active in people’s lives for young people, Common said. ”For me, to be here with the young people and say, “Okay, when we leave, you have some things to do. You got work to do, and you know what you need to do.

“I don’t like just coming up and speaking, donating some money, and then I don’t know what the follow through is. You make an impression, but we need follow through… So to know that we are laying down groundwork for practical things that they can apply in their lives, and we will be checking in and making sure that this is a process that we can be supportive in and encouraging. This a long term journey, and not just a one [time] moment [where] I’m showing up [and] taking pictures. [Follow through] is the most important thing for me.“

To begin the Dream Summit, the kids took part in deep breathing exercises and affirmations to refresh their bodies and energize them for the day ahead. From there, took part in group exercises in which they discussed their experiences and intentions for the year. Some of the group came from as far as Paterson, New Jersey to take part in the Summit. We also got to see organizations like CASES, who have past history with the Social Justice Fund, partner with Free to Dream and take part in the festivities. The Social Justice Fund has made community building a big part of their mission and partnerships like these go a long way in achieving their goals.

Common of course is not new to the Nets organization. Back in 2010, he and Queen Latifah starred in “Just Wright,” in which he played a New Jersey Nets superstar falling in love with his trainer played by Latifah. In fact, he and Latifah are reprising their roles in a sequel, “Just Wright 2 – Full Court Christmas Miracle.”

“Our focus,” Gregg Bishop, Executive Director of the Social Justice Fund said, “is really on supporting grassroots organizations across Brooklyn that are making investments in their particular community. And together, through our investments, we’re making them stronger. We want to make sure that they are sustainable and they continue delivering the great services that they’re doing in their community. So the Social Justice Fund is really about investing in Brooklyn, and today, this is a manifestation of that.”

After the events concluded, everyone took a trip across the street to Barclays Center and got to watch one of the best games of Michael Porter Jr’s career as the hometown Nets beat the New Orleans Pelicans.

As we move in to a new year, having people pour into you and support your dreams matters more than ever. With an unknown amount of challenges awaiting us, it helps to know that you’ve got good people behind you and uplifting you at the same time. For the Social Justice Fund, their work in uplifting Brooklyn guides them and keeps them motivated to do even more. With partnerships like the one with Free to Dream, they can continue to reach as many people as possible.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-feat...-social-justice-fund-team-up-to-help-brooklyn

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Cam Thomas cleared to return from hamstring injury

After a month and a half, the Brooklyn Nets will get their shooting guard back.

On Friday, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reported that Cam Thomas had been cleared and returned to full practice for the Nets after a month away due to a left hamstring injury. Shortly afterwards, Jordi Fernandez and the team made it official:

Head Coach Jordi Fernández says Cam Thomas will return tomorrow night at Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/sAsYhJdm4m

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 26, 2025

As of this writing, there hasn’t been any reporting as to possible minutes restrictions, whether he’s starting, etc. The 24-year-old had missed 20 games this year after missing 53 to previous hamstring issues last season.

Thomas rejoins a Nets team that has started to figure some things out, especially on the defensive end. Prior to Thomas’ injury on November 5, the Nets defense was allowing 125.1 points per 100 possessions, worst in the NBA and on pace to be one of the worst in basketball history. Since his absence, the team has allowed just 112.2 points per 100, eighth best in the Association. And if you want to get even more specific, in December they’ve allowed only 102.8 points per 100 possessions, far and away the best mark in the NBA. How did Jordi and the Nets fix things? From our Lucas Kaplan:

Good fortune is always involved in small-sample success, but this ain’t that. Jordi Fernández, scarred by his team’s start to this season, has dialed the blitz way back, instead opting to switch most ball-screens. This season’s Nets are forcing fewer turnovers, but as Fernández explains, the constant switching decreases stress on help defenders: “The other thing is switching a little bit more pick-and-roll. It creates less help, less rotations, and you know, you can defend the 3-point line easier, and then the multiple efforts.

With Thomas back in the fold, it will be interesting to see how the team looks from here. Noah Clowney got through some early struggles and has done very well next to Nic Claxton in the frontcourt. The rookies have had their flashes of greatness and are on the path to being solid contributors. And Michael Porter Jr has played some of the best basketball of his life and has a good chance of making the All Star team. With a defense that has found its way and plenty of athleticism to spare, the Nets hope that Thomas’ offensive punch can turbocharge a group that is still struggling a bit on offense, last two games notwithstanding.

Fernandez recently acknowledged that things have changed since Thomas went down. How does he fit now, the coach was asked.

“That’s a good question,” the coach said back on December 8. “The context is different. Before Cam got hurt, obviously, his superpower was the ability he had to score. At the same time, we always want to see playmaking efficiency and improvement on defense. So all those things were important at the time. Now, he’s been out, the team continues to get better and play in a [good] way… The skillset, he’s very unique and very good at what he does. But at the same time, now the group is taking positive steps.

“For the most part, I’m very happy with the whole group. And now when he comes back, it’s going to be on me to figure out how we introduce him into the group, and thinking that the most important thing, it’s always the group. And then from there, it’s [that] you’re willing to do whatever it takes to help the group and obviously improve yourself. That’s how this works: Team success will bring your own success as well.”

On Friday, Fernandez emphasized that he’ll play a role in Thomas return to action.

“I want him to be solid defensively…a great playmaker and a great efficient scorer. He’s more than capable to do all those things. If he doesn’t then I’m going to have to sit down with him & try to help them get there.”

For Thomas, something to keep an eye on is how often he gets to and finishes at the rim. Per Basketball Reference, prior to the injury, CT was at career lows in field goals attempted inside of three feet and field goal percentage inside of three feet. Throughout his career, Thomas has had his fair share of highlights with twisting layups in traffic at the rim. Now that he’s back at full strength, we’ll see if he can return to old form in a hurry.

The Nets are in a pretty interesting spot heading in to 2026. They’re still near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, but the team’s level of play has improved dramatically as the season has gone on. With Thomas back and with a lot to prove, we’ll see how he and the team get back in sync.

• Cam Thomas finally returning to Nets as roster evolution raises questions – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets’ Cam Thomas to make long-awaited injury return with trade deadline looming – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-news...y-analysis-brooklyn-nets-jordi-fernandez-2026

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets sign Chaney Johnson, Cavs G Leaguer, to third two-way

Chaney Johnson, a 6’7” 3-and-D prospect who went from the Auburn Tigers Final Four team to the Cleveland Cavaliers G League team, has been signed to the Nets final two-way contract, both the Brooklyn and Long Island Nets announced via tweet …

Welcome to Brooklyn, Chaney! pic.twitter.com/gVeYZxZMeN

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 27, 2025

Johnson, 23, played this season for the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers G League team, where in 16 games – 10 starts — he averaged 12.6 points on 60/40/73 shooting splits. He also averaged 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.4 steals. He scored in double figures in 10 outings for the Charge, including three consecutive 20-point games from November 7-12 along with recording double-digit rebounds three times, multiple steals five times and multiple blocks in five games.

He also played in four games with the Cavaliers Summer League team in July on an Exhibit 10.

In the recently concluded G League Winter Showcase, he averaged 10.5 points and four rebounds and showed off his athleticism vs. the Portland Remix last weekend…

OH MY GOD CHANEY JOHNSON@__cjohn__ | #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/2TK2iowImu

— Cleveland Charge (@ChargeCLE) December 20, 2025

After a high school career in Alabaster, Alabama, Johnson enrolled at Division II Alabama/Huntsville where he excelled, getting his team to the Division II Sweet Sixteen before transferring to Auburn. While at UAH, he was named Gulf South Conference Player of the Year. At Auburn, Johnson quickly became a favorite of Tigers legendary coach Bruce Pearl, winning a reputation as a hard-worker.

He joins fellow two-ways shooting guard Tyson Etienne and small forward E.J. Liddell. At 23, he’s the youngest of the three. Two-way deals are non-guaranteed and pay half the league minimum or a little more than $600,000 .

• Nets sign rookie Chaney Johnson to their final two-way contract – Brian Lewis – New York Post

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...chaney-johnson-cavs-g-leager-to-third-two-way