The Brooklyn Nets looked a lot different in Tuesday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, and the biggest change showed up in the pace. They piled up 25 fast-break points, a clear sign the offense is leaning into speed instead of dragging possessions out the way it did last season.
Julius Randle is a big reason why that shift is possible. His rebounding and passing give Brooklyn a clean way to turn stops into points, with Randle able to secure the defensive board and push the ball himself while shooters sprint to the corners and the center trails the play.
That kind of transition juice was missing a year ago. No Net averaged five rebounds and five assists, with Michael Porter Jr. leading the way at 7.1 rebounds and Nolan Traoré topping the assists column at 3.8. Without that blend of size and initiation, the offense stayed stuck in mud.
The results were ugly. Brooklyn finished as the NBA’s worst scoring team at 105.8 points per game, a mark that sat 4.7 points behind the second-worst Milwaukee Bucks.
There’s a clear template for what Brooklyn is trying to become. Teams that thrive in transition often end up among the league’s best offenses, and the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz all finished in the top 10 in fast-break points and points per game.
That’s the lane the Nets should be chasing.
General manager Sean Marks put together a roster with enough talent to compete in a crowded Eastern Conference, and Brooklyn has no reason to take a step backward. The Nets do not own their first-round pick swap next offseason, which removes any incentive to sink for position.
Randle and Porter looked like the kind of veterans who can steady things when the game gets choppy. The two combined for 29 points in the first half on Tuesday, and one of Randle’s three assists came on a slick wraparound pass in transition to Porter for a three.
The pace change is not just about offense, either. Brooklyn’s activity on the defensive end is feeding it. Josh Minott, Noah Clowney and Terance Mann each came up with two steals, and those turnovers are turning into the kind of easy baskets the Nets need.
Keon Ellis, who got the start, fits that identity too. He has built a reputation as a point-of-attack defender, and the numbers back it up. Ellis finished in the 90th percentile range in multiple defensive stats per 100 possessions, with his 2.7 steals ranking 93rd, 1.5 blocks 95th, 6.4 deflections 96th, 1.6 turnovers forced 96th and his stop percentage 98th.
Brooklyn has already shown what that kind of pressure can look like. The Nets had the NBA’s No. 1 defensive rating last December and averaged 8.7 steals per game during a 7-4 month.
They also had four games with at least 10 steals, including a month-high 14 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 14.
For now, the picture is pretty clear: Brooklyn is trying to move faster, defend harder and let those two things feed each other. Randle and an active defense are at the center of it.
In Other News...
Egor Demin Is Giving The Nets A Reason To Watch Closely
Egor Demin has already given the Nets a little something to monitor as the season takes shape, and it starts with the way he talks about his role. The young guard-forward has made clear he wants to help in whatever way the team needs, whether that means handling the ball or working alongside another creator, and he has framed his approach around winning rather than chasing numbers. For a Brooklyn group still sorting through its long-term pieces, that kind of flexibility is exactly the sort of trait that can make a prospect stand out.
Coach Jordi Fernndez has noticed the progress, too, pointing to how much Demin has improved since last year and how his voice is starting to carry more weight. That matters for a Nets team looking for players who can grow into bigger responsibilities without needing everything scripted for them. Demin is not the only young player around the league drawing attention for versatility, but in Brooklyn, his development has started to feel like one of the more relevant storylines to keep an eye on. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Fans Are Still Waiting For The First Real Mikel Brown Jr. Look
Mikel Brown Jr. arrived in Brooklyn with the kind of profile that usually gets a fan base dreaming quickly. The No. 6 pick has already drawn praise inside the organization for his leadership and the way he plays, and the Nets see him as a point guard who can help organize the offense with both scoring and passing. He has also been grinding through a demanding daily routine as he works to add the strength needed for NBA contact, a reminder that even top picks often need time before the league fully reveals them.
For now, though, Nets fans are still waiting for their first real look at him in game action. Brown Jr. has been recovering from a rolled ankle, and his participation in the upcoming preseason game is uncertain, which leaves his debut on hold a little longer than anyone around the team probably hoped. The anticipation is part of the process with a young guard like this, but Brooklyn would like to start seeing the shape of what it drafted, especially with preseason opportunities beginning to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Egor Demin Is Forcing A Real Nets Rotation Conversation
Egor Demin has spent Nets training camp and the early preseason making himself part of the conversation, and that alone is a meaningful step after an uneven rookie season. The young guard has shown more comfort, more versatility and a better feel for how Brooklyn wants to play, enough for the coaching staff to note real progress as he works to carve out a larger role.
For a team still sorting out its rotation, Demins growth adds another layer to the decisions ahead. Brooklyn is experimenting with different lineup combinations in the preseason as it looks for ways to maximize spacing and flexibility, and that kind of tinkering can open doors for players who keep stacking good days. The question now is whether Demins momentum holds once the games start to count and the Nets have to settle on who fits where. [Read more 🡒]