The Brooklyn Nets made LeBron James’ Philadelphia 76ers debut a short one to remember Thursday night.
Brooklyn shook off a halftime deficit, surged through a huge third quarter and survived a frantic late push to beat Philadelphia 114-108 in preseason play at Barclays Center. The Nets did it with a balanced scoring night and enough timely shot-making to keep the Sixers from finishing the comeback.
Philadelphia rolled out its projected starting five of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, James and Joel Embiid, while Brooklyn was missing Michael Porter Jr. (left wrist soreness), Day’Ron Sharpe (left shoulder soreness), Mikel Brown Jr. (ankle recovery) and Joshua Jefferson (lower back).
The Sixers came out sharp. They shot efficiently in the opening quarter, Maxey set the tone early and James immediately got involved as a passer, creating easy looks for teammates.
Brooklyn answered with Egor Dëmin, who hit an early three and later added a fadeaway jumper, while Julius Randle and Mo Wagner helped keep the Nets within striking distance. Keon Ellis also made his mark defensively, turning steals into fast-break layups.
That opening period was tight all the way through. Maxey had 10 points in the first quarter, James posted four points and five assists, and Dëmin led Brooklyn with seven. Chaney Johnson chipped in six off the bench, Philadelphia shot 12-of-19 from the field, and the teams were deadlocked at 33-33 after one.
The second quarter brought more of the same, but Brooklyn started finding ways to flip possessions. Wagner was especially active, ripping the ball from Embiid for a transition layup and helping ratchet up the physicality.
The Sixers still held the edge at halftime, though, despite 14 turnovers. Brooklyn’s own defensive problems and its struggles on the boards kept the game close, and Philadelphia’s 24 trips to the line helped it into a 58-56 lead.
Maxey had 14 points by halftime, James had 10 points, four rebounds and five assists, and Dëmin led the Nets with 11. Randle added 10.
Then Brooklyn changed the feel of the game after the break, even with James and Maxey sitting out the second half. The Nets played with more force, cleaned up the glass and began getting cleaner looks at the rim. Randle finished a dunk, Noah Clowney made an impact on both ends, Ellis buried another three, and Danny Wolf also connected from deep as Brooklyn slowly widened the gap.
The decisive burst came late in the third. Brooklyn strung together an 11-0 run, and Nolan Traore capped it with back-to-back threes. That swing helped the Nets win the quarter 37-23 and turn a two-point halftime deficit into a 93-81 lead entering the fourth.
Brooklyn kept its foot down early in the final period as Ben Saraf, Grant Nelson and Tyler Bilodeau checked in for the first time. Saraf hit a three, Bilodeau scored on a floater and Nelson worked effectively around the basket, pushing the Nets’ lead to 16.
Philadelphia wasn’t done. Jameer Nelson Jr. helped ignite a late charge with transition scoring and a three-pointer, and Justin Edwards drilled a triple to cut the deficit to 109-108. That put real pressure back on Brooklyn after the Nets had controlled most of the second half.
But Brooklyn answered with three straight baskets to shut the door. Humrichous finished a cut to the rim, Saraf added a free throw and Bilodeau converted a layup to restore a six-point cushion and end the rally.
Randle paced Brooklyn with 14 points and six rebounds. Dëmin finished with 13 points and five assists, Traore and Ellis each scored 12, Clowney added 11, Wolf had nine points, six rebounds and four assists, and Nelson finished with eight.
Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 18 points for Philadelphia. Maxey added 14, while James ended his first game with the Sixers with 10 points, four rebounds and five assists.
Brooklyn returns Monday night at Washington at 7 p.m. ET.
Philadelphia’s next preseason game is Saturday at 8 p.m. ET against Boston.
In Other News...
Nets Get An Early Test Their New Rotation Can't Fake
Brooklyns strong showing with Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. offered an encouraging look at what the group can become, but the next stretch is the kind that tends to reveal more than any polished offensive burst. The Nets are heading into a matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers, with the possibility of seeing LeBron James in the mix, and it arrives as Jordi Fernandez keeps pushing this roster toward a more defined identity on both ends.
Fernandez is expected to lean on full-court pressure defense, which should make this more than a routine early-season checkpoint. The bigger question for Brooklyn is how quickly its offensive and defensive rotations continue to settle when the opponent can punish mistakes and force the Nets to play under stress instead of in rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Suddenly Look Built For A Fight This Season
The early returns from Nets training camp point to a team that looks and feels different after a busy 2026 offseason. Brooklyn has added size across the roster, with Julius Randle, Moe Wagner and Joshua Jefferson among the newcomers, while DayRon Sharpe has moved into the starting center role. General manager Sean Marks and players around the team have already noticed a clear bump in physicality compared with recent camps, a shift that should matter for a group trying to rebound from last seasons issues on the glass.
Even with outside projections still setting the win total low, the Nets appear intent on making opponents work for everything. The added bulk is supposed to help them hang up front and improve rebounding, but there is also a developmental layer to all of this, with the roster still built around a mix of established veterans and younger pieces finding their footing. If Brooklyn really is going to outperform expectations, it may start with something as basic as being harder to move off its spot. [Read more 🡒]
Jordi Fernndez Faces An Early Nets Lineup Call That Could Matter
With Michael Porter Jr. and Day'Ron Sharpe both sidelined by injuries, Jordi Fernndez has been handed an early-season lineup decision that reaches beyond a single game for Brooklyn. The Nets need to keep their spacing and defense intact while they sort through an opening that comes with real stakes, especially as they look to shoot the ball better from deep without losing the edge on the other end.
Noah Clowney offers familiarity, since he has more starting experience and is also playing with the added backdrop of restricted free agency ahead. Josh Minott brings a different kind of appeal as a 3-and-D wing who has flashed both scoring touch and defensive potential, giving Fernndez a choice between stability and upside while the rotation settles into place. [Read more 🡒]