The Brooklyn Nets’ 105-86 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder exposed the team’s struggles and the challenges of their rebuild, as they shot a season-worst 17.1% from 3-point range and committed 12 turnovers in a decisive second quarter.
The Nets looked across the court at Oklahoma City, the team they’re trying to emulate in their rebuild. They got a harsh reminder of just how far away they are. Brooklyn suffered an offensively-challenged 105-86 loss to the Thunder on Friday night before a crowd of 18,203 at Paycom Center.
Smothered by the reigning champions, the Nets shot 36.7 percent overall and 7-of-41 from 3-point range. That horrid 17.1 percent clip from behind the arc was their worst of the season, and left them no chance to win.
Brooklyn conceded an extended 21-3 run that spanned from the end of the first quarter deep into the second. They shot 0-for-11 — including 0-for-8 from deep — and gave away a dozen turnovers to flip a six-point lead into a 10-point hole.
That deficit moved to as many as 20. Though the Nets fought back — unlike when they rolled over a night earlier in Cleveland — their sorry shooting short-circuited any comeback bid.
“We struggled. Obviously they’re the No. 1 defense for a reason. And we struggled in that second quarter, but also in the fourth. But we saw good things, and that’s the trend that I wanted the group to continue with,” Jordi Fernández said.
Michael Porter Jr. had 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists. But playing on the tail end of a back-to-back, he was just 1-of-9 from deep. Egor Dëmin was 1-of-8 from behind the arc and finished with just three points. Nolan Traore scored 17.
Brooklyn had an early 23-17 lead, but coughed up a 21-3 run. The deficit swelled to 55-35 early in the third. Down 71-54, the Nets ripped off a 9-0 blitz in just 1:25. But that’s as close as it got.
Jared McCain had 21 for OKC. The Nets hired ex-OKC director of amateur scouting Acie Law to be Director of Player Personnel in the offseason and will look to emulate the Thunder. But Friday showed how far they have to go.
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