In a game that had all the makings of a statement win, the Brooklyn Nets instead found themselves walking off the floor with more questions than answers - and Michael Porter Jr. wasn’t shying away from the biggest one.
Porter, who poured in 30 points across 42 minutes, was Brooklyn’s offensive engine for most of the night. But in a critical late-game sequence against the Boston Celtics, a defensive breakdown opened the door for Hugo Gonzalez to bury a wide-open corner three, sending the game into overtime - and ultimately tilting the momentum Boston’s way.
After the game, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez chalked up the lapse to a miscommunication on defense. Porter, though, went a step further, pulling back the curtain on exactly what went wrong.
“During the timeout, we had decided to zone up the three-point line and all have a certain zone on the arc,” Porter explained. “But then, they came out, and their play wasn’t what we thought it was gonna be.”
That’s where things started to unravel. According to Porter, the Nets expected Boston to initiate the play with players inside the arc - instead, the Celtics spread out high, throwing a wrench into Brooklyn’s defensive plan.
“So at the last minute, some of us were confused if we were now manning up or zoning up still,” Porter said. “Obviously, it was poorly executed.”
It’s the kind of moment that can define a game - and unfortunately for Brooklyn, it did. Porter tried to make a quick read, passing off his assignment to Noah Clowney on the weak side, but the coverage didn’t sync up.
“I tried to pass the guy through to Noah on that side, and we just weren’t all on the same page,” he said.
Fernandez, meanwhile, was attempting to communicate from the sideline, but in the chaos of crunch time, the message didn’t land in time.
“Coach Jordi was trying to communicate on the sideline, but it was just such crunch time, we didn’t know,” Porter said. “But yeah, it’s on us, the players, to communicate, and obviously the No. 1 thing is don’t give up a wide open corner uncontested three.”
That’s basketball 101 - especially against a team like Boston, who won’t hesitate to punish even the slightest hesitation. Porter owned the mistake, calling the team’s defense in that moment “discombobulated.”
“We got to learn from it, hopefully do better in the next situation,” he added.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for a Nets team still trying to find its identity in a crowded Eastern Conference. And while Porter’s offensive performance was a reminder of just how much he can impact a game, the defensive lapse was a reminder that no one - not even your best player - is immune to a misstep.
Porter’s name continues to swirl in trade rumors as the deadline approaches, with reports linking him to several contenders. But regardless of where he suits up next month, it’s clear he’s locked in on the details - and willing to take accountability when things go sideways.
That kind of leadership matters. And for a Brooklyn squad still learning how to close out tight games, it could be the difference between another frustrating loss and the kind of growth that pays off down the stretch.