Brooklyn avoids repeat of embarrassing NBA record with upset win over Pacers

ByNBAUSA


The The Brooklyn Nets were the only NBA team without a win entering Wednesday on the road with Indiana Pacers. With Jordi Fernandez’s team largely uncompetitive during an 0-7 start, some began to speculate whether the Nets could break their 0-18 NBA record set during the 2009-10 season. Brooklyn ended that conversation on Wednesday, securing a 112-103 victory over the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Fernandez made a significant change to Brooklyn’s starting lineup in Indiana, playing with Terence Mann at fullback. Cam Thomas with a renewed front line of Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney and Nic Clacton. The shift sparked the Nets’ league-worst defense, as they held the Pacers to 41-of-99 (41.4 percent) shooting while forcing 16 turnovers, leading to 23 points. Despite that losing Thomas to a hamstring injury In the first quarter, Brooklyn made enough runs to secure its first win.

“The line-up maybe helps, but it’s the willingness of everyone who played 1-10 to do the right things and follow the coverage and all those little things that we’re preaching right now,” Fernandez said. “For back-to-back games, we look like a competitive group, we look like an unselfish group and we look like a cohesive group. That’s the way we want to get better, and that’s how we see our future short-term and long-term. Winning starts now, and when you come out and fight like this, that’s what we care about now and in the future.”

After missing Monday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves for personal reasons, Porter Jr. led the Nets his best performance of the season.

Michael Porter Jr., Nick Claxton, Noah Clowney lead Nets to first win of season

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) holds the ball as Brooklyn Nets center Nick Claxton (33) defends during the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Trevor Ruszkovski – Imagn Images

The offseason acquisition scored a career-high 32 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field, 4-of-11 from three and 8-of-11 from the free throw line. He added 11 rebounds and three assists while making numerous plays. Porter Jr. forced a turnover in the backfield on the way in to start the second half and hit a 3-pointer directly after.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was ejected while debating the call. Indiana has already played without Tyrese Halliburton, TJ McConnell, Andrew Nembhardt, Obi Taupin, Benedict Maturin, Cam Jones and Quenton Jackson.

Claxton turned in another elite performance with 18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals, three blocks and zero turnovers. The big man shot 5-of-9 from the field and 8-of-1o from the free throw line. In the last four games, Claxton is averaging 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.8 blocks on 67.5 percent shooting.

Meanwhile, Clowney turned in a career-best performance in his second straight start. The third-year forward had 17 points, four rebounds and one assist on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 2-of-5 from three.

He and Claxton anchored a Nets defense that allowed just 20 points in the second half.

“We were just more connected tonight and we were able to just force some tough shots, make them take some shots late at a time they didn’t really want to get to,” Claxton said. “Now you’ve got to have a carryover into the next game. … It’s a great vibe. You can’t take it for granted. We’ve got one, but we’ve got to do it again.”

After Fernandez removed him from the starting lineup, Tyrese Martin had 16 points, five rebounds and two assists on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 from three. Terrance Mann added 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals with just one turnover in his first start at guard. Jaylen Wilson hit a pair of clutch 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to stave off a Pacers comeback.

“I’m extremely proud,” Fernandez said. “Because that group we had with Tirese, J Will, Terrance, Ziaire (Williams) and Dai’Ron (Sharpe), they (Indiana) run, they took the lead, and the hardest thing in a back-and-forth game is to still bring your bench, because you need them or you run out of gas, and then you run out of gas. And I give credit to everybody.

“I think it was a team effort, and I’m really proud of the whole group and being a part of the win. It’s very special. You win three out of four quarters, you allow 20 points in the half after we allowed 20 in the second quarter… We forced 11 turnovers (second half) for 15 points. And that’s a very disruptive team, I want it to be a team. I’m very happy for the group, because a win like this gives you energy to do what we do and come back the next day, still be better, work and go to the next game.”





2025-11-06 15:32:00

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