The Brooklyn Nets faced another tough night on the court, falling to the Portland Trail Blazers. Despite a spirited fourth-quarter effort, the game was largely decided early on, with the Nets trailing by over 20 points in the first half and 31 in the third quarter. The Blazers, fresh off a game in Philadelphia, managed to hold on despite a shaky finish.
Brooklyn's lineup featured three rookies alongside Ziaire Williams and Nic Claxton. A significant takeaway was the size mismatch between Claxton and the Blazers' towering 7’2” center, Donovan Clingan.
While this wasn’t the sole reason for the Nets’ early deficit, the Blazers’ hot 5-of-8 start from three and their dominance on the offensive boards, with Clingan grabbing three, set the tone. Clingan’s ability to contest shots and control the glass highlighted some of Claxton’s limitations.
Claxton did have a highlight moment with a spectacular alley-oop dunk and ended the game with a solid 12-point, 11-rebound double-double. He capitalized when Clingan was benched due to foul trouble but sat out the fourth quarter.
Brooklyn's bench, however, was the bright spot. Ben Saraf, the only first-round rookie not starting, scored 10 of his 15 points in the final quarter, energizing the crowd. With three Israeli players - Saraf, Deni Avdija, and Danny Wolf - on the floor, Saraf enjoyed significant fan support.
“It was great. I was waiting for this game a long time,” Saraf shared postgame.
Wolf struggled offensively, finishing with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists on 3-of-9 shooting. Avdija, despite not having his best night, contributed 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, frequently getting to the line.
The Blazers didn’t rely on heroics from a single player, shooting an impressive 51% from the field and 42% from three. Their six turnovers in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter kept the Nets within striking distance.
Tyson Etienne added 15 points, just shy of his career-high. Without a true backup center, E.J.
Liddell and Chaney Johnson stepped up, with Johnson particularly shining. He delivered a standout performance with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and a couple of threes, showcasing his versatility and hustle.
Coach Jordi Fernández praised Johnson postgame: “He plays bigger than what he is. His length, you know, he may get overlooked, but he can guard almost everybody.
He is super active, super athletic. He can shoot the three, like, he does everything well, and he doesn’t try to do too much, and I think that always helps.
You see that every time he’s on the court, it’s positive.”
However, not all Nets players found success. Drake Powell and Nolan Traore struggled, shooting a combined 2-of-14. Powell missed his first two threes, and Traore found himself outmatched by Clingan inside.
On Traore, Fernández commented, “He looks exhausted, and more than physically, mentally. And [this is] something that is good for him to go through it and understand how much, like, stronger he needs to get, and understand what it is to play almost every other night, and all those things, right?”
Indeed, patience will be key for Nets fans as the team navigates these growing pains. With only 14 games left, the focus will be on development.
Injury Report
The Nets were without several key players, including Egor Dëmin and Day’Ron Sharpe, both out for the season. Noah Clowney sat out for rest, Terance Mann due to left Achilles soreness, and Michael Porter Jr. with an ankle sprain.
It marked Porter’s third straight absence, and while the severity remains unclear, Coach Fernández noted, “Yeah, not qualified to talk about grades [of sprains], but I can share with you that he did form shooting last game that we played, and today is going to be his first workout. So let’s see how he feels after.
It’s getting better, and then we’ll assess.”
Looking Ahead
The Nets will continue to focus on player development and team chemistry as they approach the final stretch of the season.