Looking to avoid a five-game losing streak, the Nets battled in a see-saw matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans to get back into the win column.
Down 112-110, Brooklyn’s fate came down to Michael Porter Jr., who had an opportunity to take the lead on a fading three-pointer on a play drawn up by head coach Jordi Fernandez following a timeout.
Porter missed. Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III regained possession and later knocked down two free throws in what became a 116-113 win for the Pelicans.
It was Brooklyn’s fifth straight loss and eighth loss in 10 games.
Murphy led the way with 34 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block.
Porter scored a team-high 20 points. The forward had a chance to send the game into overtime, but misfired on a potential buzzer-beating heave at the end of regulation.
Egor Dëmin finished 17 points and five assists. The rookie knocked down five treys, notching his seventh consecutive game with multiple three-pointer made. The mark ties a franchise rookie record set by Kerry Kittles.
To start the night, Fernandez’s squad look ready to halt the skid at four games.
On the final night of All-Star Game fan voting, Porter continued his campaign for a spot with nine first quarter points after going 3-for-3 from behind the arc.
The surge helped the Nets to a 12-point advantage, but a 15-7 Pelicans finish shortened the lead to four at the end of the first quarter.
The Nets traded buckets throughout the second while managing to hold the lead.
Murphy’s trey at the 2:22 mark of the second got the Pelicans within one, but makes by Porter and Dëmin pushed the Nets’ lead again. A minute later, Murphy struck again with another trey to get within one possession, 55-52, before Zion Williamson scored a layup to get the home team within a point again.
Eventually, the Nets kept the lead, 55-54, going into halftime. Dëmin and Porter contributed 12 and 11 first-half points, respectively, while Murphy already built a respectable statline after two quarters: 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go with four rebounds and two assists.
New Orleans presence in the paint is what sustained them in the back-and-forth battle on Wednesday night. They totaled 64 on the night — 12 more than Brooklyn’s 52.
And of course, it was a tip-in make by Yves Missi at the 8:51 mark in the third that gave the Pelicans the lead, 63-61.
Seven lead changes and six ties ensued afterwards as the two teams entered the fourth with 87 points apiece thanks to Cam Thomas’ fadeaway 25-footer and Karlo Matkovic’s traditional three-point play seconds before the period ended.
Ultimately, New Orleans narrowly outscored Brooklyn, 29-26, to secure the win.
The Nets will now look to avoid a six-game losing streak when they host the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
