The Brooklyn Nets had a rough night in a 136-109 loss to the Indiana Pacers, but Nolan Traore gave them something to build on. He finished with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting and added five assists, standing out in a game where Brooklyn struggled to get much of anything cleanly.
For most of the night, the Nets just couldn’t put their offense together. They shot 35-of-86 from the field and 13-of-39 from beyond the arc, and after hanging around for much of the first half, Indiana pulled away by outscoring Brooklyn 78-54 across the second and third quarters.
One of the few early bright spots was Keon Ellis, who brought real defensive energy in the first quarter. He jumped passing lanes at the point of attack, then turned that activity into offense with some corkscrew layups in transition. His hands and hustle helped Brooklyn create extra possessions and get out in the open floor.
That kind of presence is the sort of thing the Nets could use more of. Last season’s group lacked a veteran who could bring defensive edge while still fitting into the offense, and Ellis has the chance to become a valuable example for the younger players while helping shape Brooklyn’s defensive identity.
Julius Randle, meanwhile, never really played with the downhill force the Nets needed. He leaned on jumper after jumper instead of attacking the rim, though he did get to the line eight times and finish with seven assists. Even so, he too often passed up chances to punish mismatches and go straight to the basket.
If Brooklyn is going to win more consistently this season, it needs better leadership and more urgency from its top guy. Randle showed in the preseason that he can still look close to his three-time All-Star level, but nights like this one leave plenty of room for more assertive play.
Michael Porter Jr. had his own issues with shot selection and rhythm. He took too many heavily contested jumpers and didn’t move off the ball with enough purpose.
Porter can usually find his way into the offense without forcing things, but there were stretches where he got too trigger-happy anyway. He finished with 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting and did not record a rebound or an assist.
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Nets Already Face A Frustrating Problem Three Games Into This Slide
The Nets rough stretch deepened with another lopsided loss, this time in Indianapolis, where the Pacers controlled the game with efficient offense and plenty of pace. Tyrese Haliburton orchestrated it with 24 points and 10 assists, helping Indiana shoot 58% from the field while the Pacers built their advantage in the second and third quarters.
For Brooklyn, the bigger concern may have come after the game started to get away from them. Ivica Zubac was removed from the contest with a left ankle sprain, leaving the Nets to wonder about the status of one of the interior pieces they can least afford to lose while this slide continues to snowball. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Already Face An Early Trust Problem Under Jordi Fernndez
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The encouraging part is that Brooklyn at least showed some fight in nearly pulling back against Cleveland, which suggests the response is there when the focus sharpens. But the next game brought a different problem, and one the Nets cannot afford to let linger, because the same issues keep showing up in different forms and are beginning to raise an early trust question around how quickly this roster can absorb Fernndezs demands. [Read more 🡒]
Nolan Traor Is Making Brooklyns Backcourt Decision More Interesting
Nolan Traor has made Brooklyns early backcourt picture a little more interesting with the kind of all-around showing that sticks in a coachs mind. In a recent loss, the guard put up a team-high 17 points and did a little of everything, blending shot-making with playmaking and defensive activity after also showing growth last season and carrying that into a solid preseason.
As the Nets get healthier in the backcourt, the real question is not whether Traor can help, but how often he can stay on the floor when the rotation tightens. His path to steady minutes off the bench will likely come down to one thing: whether his outside shot keeps falling enough to make him hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]