Coming off a statement win - and not just any win, but a 127-82 demolition of the Milwaukee Bucks - the Brooklyn Nets are riding high. That 45-point blowout tied the largest margin of victory in franchise history, and it wasn’t just about the scoreboard.
It was a complete two-way performance, the kind of game that shows what this team can be when everything clicks. But the NBA doesn’t wait around for celebration parades, and next up is a gritty Miami Heat squad on Thursday.
The Nets will need to bring that same energy - and then some.
Brooklyn will be a little shorthanded in the backcourt for that matchup. The team announced Wednesday that rookie guards Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf will be unavailable, as both are currently on assignment with the Long Island Nets in the G League. Saraf missed Sunday’s win due to illness, while Traore logged nine minutes in that lopsided contest before the game got out of hand early in the second quarter.
With those two out, that leaves Egor Demin, Drake Powell, and Danny Wolf as the remaining rookies available for Thursday’s game. Head coach Jordi Fernandez has shown trust in that trio, and it’s paying off.
Demin has carved out a regular spot in the starting five, while Powell and Wolf have become reliable contributors off the bench. It’s rare to see this much rookie involvement on a team trying to stay competitive, but Fernandez has leaned into it - and so far, it’s working.
The Nets also updated their injury report, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Cam Thomas and Haywood Highsmith are both ruled out for Thursday. Thomas is still working his way back from a left hamstring strain, and while there’s optimism that he could return within the next week, that timeline hinges on how he responds to further evaluation.
As for Highsmith, he hasn’t suited up for Brooklyn yet this season. He came into the year recovering from offseason knee surgery and recently experienced a setback.
Fernandez didn’t offer much clarity earlier this week, but said the team expects to have a more definitive update by the end of the week. If Highsmith can return soon and give Brooklyn anything close to the two-way impact he’s capable of, it could be a quiet but meaningful boost down the stretch.
For now, the Nets will lean on their young core, a growing defensive identity, and the momentum of a historic win. Thursday’s game against the Heat will be a different kind of test - one that won’t be decided by 45 points, but by execution, toughness, and depth.