Michael Porter Jr. Shines Again, But Nets Fall Short Late Against Mavericks
Michael Porter Jr. did everything he could to keep Brooklyn’s hot streak alive Friday night in Dallas. The forward turned in another electric performance, pouring in 34 points on an efficient 12-of-20 from the field, including 6-of-10 from deep. It was his fourth straight 30-point outing - the longest such streak of his career - and he looked every bit the offensive engine the Nets have needed this season.
But even with Porter Jr. lighting it up, the Nets couldn’t close the deal. A back-and-forth battle that featured 23 lead changes slipped away in the fourth quarter, where Brooklyn was outscored 29-19 and ultimately fell 119-111 to the Mavericks.
The Nets just ran out of gas late. They shot 6-of-21 in the final frame, including just 2-of-9 from three, and couldn’t generate enough stops or second-chance opportunities to keep pace.
Dallas, meanwhile, leaned on Anthony Davis down the stretch. The veteran big man posted 20 points and 11 rebounds in the second half alone, finishing 9-of-17 from the field over that span.
His presence on the glass was especially damaging - the Mavericks outscored the Nets 7-0 in second-chance points in the fourth quarter.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez pointed to that rebounding disparity as the turning point.
“I like the fight all the way through. I think the team competed well,” Fernandez said postgame.
“But it came down to the defensive rebounding in the fourth. I think they had 10 second-chance points in the fourth quarter.
That’s how you lose games. And also transition defense.
We’ve been better lately... but we couldn’t get it done today.”
Still, Fernandez saw positives in how his team battled, especially considering they held a lead late in the game.
Brooklyn’s biggest issue all season has been finding consistent offense beyond Porter Jr., and that theme continued Friday. While Porter Jr. was locked in, the supporting cast offered flashes - but not enough to match Dallas’ late-game execution.
Rookie big man Danny Wolf continued to impress in his growing role. He dropped 17 points and grabbed seven boards on 6-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. Over the Nets’ last six games, Wolf has quietly become a reliable contributor, averaging 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in under 25 minutes per game - all while shooting an eye-popping 49% from the field, 52% from three, and 80% from the line.
Nic Claxton added a double-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, but had a tough time containing Davis in crunch time. Terance Mann chipped in 12 points, while Noah Clowney and Tyrese Martin each added 11.
But the Nets didn’t get much from the rest of the roster. Egor Demin struggled in his 18 minutes, finishing with just three points on 1-of-7 shooting, along with one rebound, one assist, and two turnovers. Fellow rookies Drake Powell and Nolan Traore combined for just 12 minutes on the floor.
Despite the loss, there’s no question Porter Jr. is playing some of the best basketball of his career. His shot-making has been elite, and he’s clearly embracing the role of go-to scorer. But even he acknowledged that crunch time demands more - both from himself and the team.
“It’s a different brand of basketball in the last quarter, but really the last seven, eight minutes,” Porter Jr. said. “It really tightens up, and you’ve got to hold your spots.
You’ve got to own your spots a little bit better. You’ve got to be more aggressive.
Guys are going to get away with more holding and stuff, so just being strong the last seven, eight minutes and being very decisive.”
The Nets have been dominant against sub-.500 teams when Porter Jr. is in the lineup, boasting a +14.8 net rating in those games heading into Saturday. But when he’s been out, the drop-off has been stark - 0-2 with a -15.7 net rating. That underscores just how central he’s become to everything Brooklyn does offensively.
Brooklyn will look to bounce back on Sunday when they return home to host the Milwaukee Bucks - who will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo - at Barclays Center. It’s a chance to reset, regroup, and hopefully rediscover the late-game sharpness they’ve been missing.