The Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets both arrive at Thursday’s NBA 2K26 Summer League finale with 2-1 records, and the stakes are simple: win and keep the semifinal path alive.
Brooklyn closes out its Summer League schedule at 4:30 p.m. ET against Houston at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, coming off a lopsided 115-83 win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. That game gave the Nets a much-needed jolt, with Egor Dëmin setting the tone with 22 points, eight rebounds and four steals.
Drake Powell also delivered his best showing of the summer, scoring 18 points after having trouble finding his rhythm through the first four games. Mikel Brown Jr. added 16 points and five rebounds, Danny Wolf chipped in 14 points, Chaney Johnson posted 13 points and nine rebounds, and Ben Saraf finished with 11 points, five assists and four steals. All five Brooklyn starters reached double figures.
One of the more interesting wrinkles from that win was Brown Jr.’s matchup with Darius Acuff Jr. Brown Jr., who was selected one spot ahead of Acuff Jr. in the NBA Draft, asked for the assignment himself.
"The game plan was not for him to start on Acuff,” Nets coach Dutch Gaitley said after the game. “Taking that challenge, I can't speak highly enough about the defensive intensity that he's brought to our team."
Houston comes in with the same 2-1 mark after rolling past the Philadelphia 76ers 90-64 on Tuesday. The Rockets smothered Philadelphia all game long, holding the Sixers to 23-of-74 shooting, or 31.1%, from the field.
Bruce Thornton, Houston’s 2026 second-round pick, led the Rockets with 18 points. Isaiah Crawford added 19 points and six rebounds, while Tristen Newton turned in 17 points and six rebounds in the win.
Thursday’s meeting matters for both teams because it comes on the final day before the semifinal field is set, with only the top four teams moving on to play for the championship. Brooklyn can strengthen its case with a win, and both clubs still have a shot to keep their title hopes intact.
It also sets up a matchup between two of the tournament’s better defensive teams, which should make this one of the day’s most competitive games in Las Vegas. The game will air on ESPNU and YES via Gotham Sports.
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