Brooklyn’s historic collapse against the Hawks shines a light on Michael Porter Jr.’s late-game shortcomings

There are late-game struggles and then complete meltdowns. The Brooklyn Nets fell in the latter category during Sunday’s 115-104 loss to Atlanta Hawks.

Jordi Fernandez’s team appeared in control after taking a 102-91 lead with eight minutes left. The Hawks then outscored them 24-2 to close out the game during the Nets’ ugliest collapse of the season.

Brooklyn shot 1-of-15 from the field with five turnovers in the game-clinching stretch.

“Unacceptable,” Fernandez said. “We played good, very good basketball, connected, defended, led as a team with the first and second groups … But we have to find a better way to close games. I trust the starters. I know how good they are, and this is not what I want from them. We played a great game until 5:30 left, and then it goes on. So it’s important to win in the NBA. and that didn’t happen.”

After solid starts, Brooklyn’s rookie running back Nolan Traore and Egor Demin struggled significantly down the stretch. However, Sunday’s collapse turned on the light Michael Porter Jr.’s late-game shortcomings as the Nets’ No. 1 option.

Michael Porter Jr. disappears down the stretch during the Nets’ ugly collapse against the Hawks

Porter scored 18 points on 8-of-16 shooting with six assists and two turnovers in three quarters. However, he was invisible in the final frame, going scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting without an assist, as starters Demin and Traore handled most of Brooklyn’s ball responsibilities.

Meanwhile, Hawks star Jaylen Johnson took over the run, scoring 14 of his 26 points in the final frame on 6-of-8 shooting.

Doc Porter kept the Nets offense afloat for long stretcheshe fought as a closer. In 65 minutes this season, the forward shot 12 of 38 (31.6 percent) from the field and 4 of 24 (16.7 percent) with two assists and four turnovers.

Porter’s limitations as a ball-handler and self-creator were most evident during close games, when the defense is most engaged and primarily turnovers. Without a high-level shot maker next to him, Brooklyn’s offense sputtered when it mattered most.

The Nets posted the worst record in the league (5-19) and the second-worst offensive rating (96.0).

After encouraging early performances, Traore and Demin also fell apart on Sunday. Through three quarters, Traore scored 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting with five assists and two turnovers. Demin scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four assists and zero turnovers.

However, the rookie duo combined to shoot 0-for-7 while committing four turnovers in the final frame.

“You go through experience and you learn,” Fernandez said of Traore and Demin’s late struggles. “Some of the quick shots and turnovers … You have to learn how to be composed. You have to learn how to put everything in the (right) place, how to make good shots, and we just didn’t. So it’s the next game.”

While Sunday’s loss undoubtedly stuck in the Brooklyn locker room, it continued the team’s rise to the tough tank race. After four straight losses, the Nets gained sole possession of third place in the draft lottery list. They are tied in the win column and two games back of the second-place Indiana Pacers.

If the season ended today, Brooklyn would have a 14.0 percent chance of finishing in first place, a 52.1 percent chance of finishing in the top four and a 93.0 percent chance of finishing in the top six. The third lottery slot cannot fall lower than the seventh pick.