Sometimes the best reminder that you are not sinking is watching someone else tread water.
Saturday’s 119-101 win over the New Orleans Pelicans served as a reminder for Nets fans that, as rough as things
have looked at times this season, things can always be worse. You could be New Orleans Pelicans fans.
With both teams giving at least three rookies real minutes, the night quietly turned into a measuring stick between two recent draft classes.
Brooklyn’s rookies looked more in control and far more confident, with the newcomers combining for 25 points, 16 assists and ten rebounds while New Orleans’ group combined for 22 points, 11 assists and 12 rebounds.
And with Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson out indefinitely due to a right abductor injury, New Orleans simply lacked the offensive punch to keep pace.
While Brooklyn’s rookies continue to show encouraging signs of growth, it was another newcomer, this one a veteran who stepped up to play the biggest role in sealing the win.
Michael Porter Jr. poured in a season high 35 points to go along with nine rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 60.8% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.
A Scorer Set Free
While tying his career-high with 35 points, the former Denver Nugget continues to prove that he is capable of carrying the load of being a team’s top scorer.
While serving as a third option in Denver, Porter Jr.’s offensive role was primarily limited to corner threes and kick outs in transition. With Brooklyn, he’s been asked to take on a much more hands-on role, and has thrived since being expected to do so.
During the final possession of the first half, he took matters into his own hands, bullying his way past multiple defenders to gain position under the basket and drop in the buzzer-beater.
Heading into Saturday’s game, Porter Jr. ranks 15th in the NBA in points per game averaging 25.3 points per game while shooting 48.8% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc.
Having coached Porter Jr. in Denver, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez praised his growth as a leader since his early NBA days.
“He always has a smile on his face. When I was in Denver he was the youngest. It’s a big change now. It’s not easy to find your voice, but he’s doing it,” Fernandez said. “He’s leading by example. It’s pretty impressive. He embraces his teammates and talks to them, especially the young guys. That means a lot. That’s very important for our identity.”
With Cam Thomas still out indefinitely and none of the rookies looking like a consistent primary scorer just yet, having a player like the Missouri product, who remains unfazed by the extra opportunity, has proved to be valuable at a time when Brooklyn is thin on scorers.
Claxton Showing New Dimensions
The Nets’ also saw some encouraging production from Nic Claxton, who finished with the second triple-double of his career after totaling 14 points, 11 rebounds and ten assists.
This year, Claxton has taken on a more advanced on-ball role, with the offense even running through him at times as he dishes to teammates from the top of the key.
For a team that doesn’t have an established point guard, his combination of size, coordination and basketball IQ make him a serviceable distributor for the time being.
One example of his improved playmaking has been his connection with Porter Jr., as the two have developed chemistry on dribble hand-offs to create separation for open shots.
“We’re getting better at reading defenses. We’re learning each other’s games more. He’s looking for me more. We’re flowing better,” Porter Jr. said. “It’s all reads. These guys make it easy. We’re getting at reading the offense.”
While he’s shown flashes of his offensive potential over the past year, he’s embraced the increased role and seems to be thriving in it so far.
Now in his seventh season, the Georgia product is averaging a career high 13.5 points per game while maintaining his reputation as one of the league’s top defensive bigs by averaging 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Supporting Cast Making An Impact
Day’Ron Sharpe tied his second-highest scoring total of the season, finishing with 16 points on 87.5% shooting while leading all bench players in scoring.
Rookie Egor Dëmin tied his career high with seven assists, also adding eight points and four rebounds while shooting 60% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. While the BYU product no longer looks hesitant handling the ball like he did early in the season, his next leap will come when he develops the confidence to take over in isolation situations and use his unique skill set as a scorer.
Fresh off a 29 point outing against the Utah Jazz, third-year forward Noah Clowney continues to showcase his improvements last season, although his stats may not jump off the page this game. The Alabama product scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds while hitting a pair of three-pointers and also showing off his added muscle from the offseason while fighting through contact for a tough finish.
Cam Thomas Injury Update
Prior to the game, the Brooklyn Nets provided an update on Cam Thomas’ medical status, as the fifth-year guard has been out since November 5 with a left hamstring injury, the same problem that limited him to 25 appearances last season.
Per the team, Thomas received another MRI which “showed progress in the healing of the hamstring. Thomas has begun on-court work and will have his status updated in approximately two weeks.”
Jordi Fernández provided more detail: “He started to do some basketball workouts. It’s 1-on-0. It’s never been —it’s not going to be with teammates or opposition. So, we’re happy with how he’s progressing. And we have another timeline, which is in two weeks, we’ll let you guys know.”
Though a return is not imminent, it seems Fernández will soon have to figure out how to reintegrate Thomas into a team that’s been playing better (and differently) without him.
“The team continues to get better and play in a way where — obviously without him, we don’t have another Cam Thomas, so it would make no sense to use some of the teammates the same way,” explained Fernández. “Also, the skillset, he’s very unique and very good at what he does. But at the same time, now the group is taking positive steps and some players are taking positive steps. For the most part, I’m very happy with the whole group. And now when he comes back, it’s going to be on me to figure it out how we introduce him into the group … two weeks away, I usually don’t worry about having to think about those things until the situation is in front of me.”
Brooklyn has just three games over the next two weeks, so barring a trade, the Nets may not play many more games before CT’s return.
Milestone Watch
- Nic Claxton finished with the second triple-double of his career after totaling 14 points, 11 rebounds and ten assists. He’s also just 33 blocks shy of passing Mike Gminski (599) for fourth-most in franchise history.
- Michael Porter Jr. tied his season-high with 35 points, also tied for the fourth-highest total of his career.
What’s Next?
The Nets will face the Dallas Mavericks this Monday at the American Airlines Center.
It will be their first matchup of the season, but Brooklyn beat Dallas 113-109 during the last time the two teams faced off last season.
Dallas’ record sits at 8-16, and are coming off a 132-111 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Former No.1 overall pick Cooper Flagg has stepped it up as of late, and is currently averaging 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
