Nets Fall to Magic as Rookie Backcourt Shines Amid Growing Pains
After a trade deadline that saw Brooklyn make moves more about future flexibility than immediate impact, the Nets were back on the floor Thursday night in Orlando. What followed was another chapter in a season that’s clearly about development more than wins. The Nets dropped their third straight, falling to the Magic 118-98 at Kia Center, and slipped to 13-37 on the year.
There were flashes-particularly from the rookie backcourt-but not enough to counterbalance the struggles elsewhere, especially on a night when Michael Porter Jr. couldn’t find the bottom of the net. Porter finished with just nine points on 2-of-13 shooting in 32 minutes, a tough outing for someone expected to shoulder more of the scoring load after the team waived Cam Thomas earlier in the day.
Dëmin, Traoré Lead the Charge
If there was a silver lining, it came in the form of Egor Dëmin and Nolan Traoré. The rookie duo continues to give Nets fans something to look forward to.
Dëmin poured in a career-high 26 points, knocking down six threes and carrying Brooklyn’s offense early. He opened the game 3-for-4 from the field and hit two of his first three shots from deep in just his first seven minutes.
With Porter struggling out of the gate-missing his first four shots and heading to the bench just nine minutes in-Dëmin stepped up.
Traoré, making his fifth straight start, added 21 points and dished out eight assists, continuing to showcase the poise and playmaking that earned him a spot in the starting lineup. Danny Wolf, another rookie and the 27th overall pick, chipped in 13 points and six rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench, rounding out a strong night for Brooklyn’s youth movement.
Claxton Makes History, But Nets Can’t Keep Pace
Nic Claxton had a milestone moment of his own, recording his 188th assist of the season to pass Brook Lopez for the most assists by a center in a single season in franchise history. He added five points on his first three shots, but even his strong start couldn’t cover up the imbalance in Brooklyn’s offense.
The Nets were within two points late in the first quarter when head coach Jordi Fernández turned to his bench. Orlando responded with a quick 5-0 run, pushing the lead to 22-15 and forcing Brooklyn into a timeout. By the time Porter finally hit his first field goal-a three assisted by Ben Saraf with just over three minutes left in the quarter-the Magic were already shooting 56.3% from the field.
Brooklyn closed the first down 27-19, shooting just 31.8% from the floor. The second quarter didn’t offer much relief.
Orlando opened with a 12-2 run, stretching the lead to 13. When Desmond Bane connected on his first three of the night midway through the quarter, the gap ballooned to 17, prompting another timeout from Fernández.
Dëmin and Claxton combined for 22 points in the first half, but the rest of the roster couldn’t get anything going. The other 10 Nets who saw minutes before halftime shot a combined 6-for-30.
Saraf, Noah Clowney, Drake Powell, and Day’Ron Sharpe were all held scoreless. Meanwhile, Orlando got contributions across the board and took a 56-40 lead into the break.
Second Half, Same Story
The third quarter brought more of the same. Dëmin kept firing, reaching 21 points with his fifth three-pointer of the night midway through the period.
That shot trimmed what had been a 22-point deficit down to 16 and gave the Nets a brief jolt of energy, but it didn’t last. Brooklyn was outscored 32-27 in the quarter and entered the fourth down 21.
Dëmin finished with 11 points in the third alone, but the Nets couldn’t generate enough stops or support around him to make a serious dent. Porter remained cold, Claxton cooled off, and the turnovers kept piling up. Brooklyn committed 19 giveaways on the night, a number that made any sort of comeback nearly impossible.
Orlando, on the other hand, continued to move the ball with purpose, tallying 32 assists on 44 made field goals and shooting 53.7% as a team. Desmond Bane led the way with 23 points, but the Magic’s balanced attack never let the Nets back into the game.
A Glimpse at the Future
There was one notable moment for Brooklyn fans in the fourth quarter. With just under 10 minutes to play and the Nets trailing by 21, all five of the team’s recent first-round picks shared the floor together for the first time this season. The group responded with a 7-0 run, a small but promising sign of what this young core might become.
After a whirlwind 24 hours and another tough loss, the Nets return home to face the Washington Wizards on Saturday. That game could offer a longer look at Brooklyn’s retooled rotation-and another opportunity for the rookies to show they’re not just the future, but maybe the foundation.