The Brooklyn Nets were left alone in the win party waiting room Wednesday morning. For two weeks, they sat beside the New Orleans Pelicans, who somehow found a way to start this season in an even more
disappointing fashion than their last. It looked likely to spiral further when the Pels scratched Zion Williamson with a left hamstring strain yesterday, but New Orleans managed to sidestep 0-7, largely due to their 62 points off the bench.
While some pre-season commentary from Brooklyn’s owner and early efforts from the team might’ve led you to believe they were happy to be on the outside looking in, anyone paying attention realized that wasn’t the case as the losses stacked and embarrassing feelings festered.
So tonight, they did something about it.
Brooklyn’s starting five tonight indicated their eagerness to change things up. The first five included Terance Mann at the point and a returning Michael Porter Jr. The latter quickly reintroduced himself to Brooklyn fans and the Pacers, putting in eight points on 3-3 shooting to lift the Nets up up 15-6 four minutes deep into the game.
The Nets managed to stay in front of Indiana after one by a 25-18 score, topped off with a play you probably thought they didn’t have the facilities for, until they did…
Despite having their best excuse to fall behind all year, it was the first time they’ve led after one. Cam Thomas, who’s shot-making has singlehandedly carried Brooklyn’s offense for much of this young season, exited the game with 6:25 remaining in the period. He was ruled out shortly after with hamstring tightness, the same injury which limited his season to just 25 games last year.
Though a quarter late, the Nets eventually did fall behind. Indiana opened up the second on an 8-0 run to seize the lead. After an opening frame of Aaron Nesmith bricks and mistimed low-post moves from Pascal Siakam, Indiana found its offense, shooting 8-11 from the field and 4-5 from three roughly halfway through it.
However, they didn’t fall apart…
After that Day’Ron Sharpe poster and a handful of admirable sequences from point guard Terance, the Pacers then went on a quick 9-0 burst to take a 57-49 lead, their biggest of the game, with 1:27 to go in the half. But the Nets finished the second just as they did the first, pulling to within five as we hit the break.
After Porter Jr.’s fast and Indiana’s slow start, everyone returned or regressed to the mean. While MPJ still led all scorers with 20 points by that point, he shot just 3-7 from the field and 1-5 from deep. Meanwhile, the Pacers posted .640/.556 shooting slashes in the frame. Reminder: they did this without Tyrese Haliburton, Johnny Furphy, Andrew Nembhard, Obi Toppin, and T. J. McConnell.
The second half burst open with the same shock that closed the first. There, Rick Carlisle lasted only eight seconds. On a bang-bang play where the Nets attempted to steal an inbound pass on Indiana’s end of the floor, officials quickly awarded Brooklyn the ball. They inbounded it, Porter Jr. splashed a three, and Carlisle let Marc Davis have it.
Without their coach, the Pacers fell back behind. Punishing Isaiah Jackson inside one moment and then any other defender holding his early season 3-point percentage against him the next, Clowney pitched in eight points to open the third. He finished with 17 points and four rebounds for the game after shooting 6-9 from the field and 2-5 from deep.
The chaos continued as the period progressed. An energized Nic Claxton kept the rim sealed at one end of the floor and worked as a fast break conductor at the other. However, Siakam was eager to run beside him, as was Jay Huff to let it fly, who nailed two in the frame.
That all culminated in several minutes of back and forth basketball which put the Nets down three entering the fourth. Egor Dëmin got in on the action, not shooting inside (yet), but at least getting there, and dishing.
In the finale quarter, Brooklyn looked like a team still without their first win and ready to do something about it. Mann flashed his tow-way talents running the offense at one end to queue the suddenly hot Tyrese Martin and ripping balls away from Siakam at the other end. Between pressuring in the back court or hounding the offensive glass, everyone channeled their desperation to their advantage.
The Nets led 101-93 with just under three to go, and looked like they were going to finally do it. A Ben Shepard triple cut it to five with about two and a half to go, but the Nets refused to crumble even as the pressure mounted.
Noah Clowney, turning in his second consecutive 15+ point game, shook Siakam on the perimeter before driving and kicking to Martin, who nailed another triple to make it nine with 1:34 to play. Nesmith, known for late game theatrics vs New York teams, of course hit a three to again make it six with just over a minute to go, but Brooklyn drew the curtain on the night soon after that.
After each team turned it over on three straight possessions, a Siakam layup made it four with 30 second to go, Porter Jr., who started the game for Brooklyn scoring-wise, ended it, drawing a foul and goaltend call after rushing down the court on the next possession.
With only a few seconds to spare by that point, time soon ran out, and the Nets became winners. Welcome to the party, guys.
Next Up
Brooklyn’s returns home Friday night to host the Detroit Pistons and take part in their first NBA Cup action of the season. The Nets have yet to move past the group round in the tournament’s now three year existence. They don’t seem likely to change that this year, but you never know. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST.
