The Brooklyn Nets delivered a much-needed bounce-back performance on Wednesday night, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 145-111. Coming off a significant loss, the Nets showed renewed intensity and a potent offense, achieving their highest-scoring half in years.
This victory marked a significant turnaround for the Nets (3-8), who had been routed by 37 points in their previous game against the Dallas Mavericks. The Pelicans (4-7) were also looking to rebound from their worst regular-season defeat in franchise history, a 51-point loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Despite the absence of point guards Nolan Traore and Mikel Brown Jr., the return of Egor Dëmin to the starting lineup provided a crucial boost. Dëmin, playing his first game since an Oct. 27 bone bruise, scored 22 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, shooting efficiently from the field and beyond the arc. He finished with a game-high plus-29 rating.
Michael Porter Jr. also contributed 22 points, while Julius Randle added 17 points and tied a franchise record for road games with a plus-38 rating, matching Stephon Marbury's achievement.
The Nets showcased an uncharacteristic level of cohesion on offense, committing only 15 turnovers while dishing out 30 assists. They also dominated the boards, outrebounding the Pelicans 42-28.
Six Nets players reached double figures in scoring, including reserves Moritz Wagner and Noah Clowney, tying a franchise record for balanced scoring. Wagner scored 13 points by halftime, including a highlight-reel dunk over Jordan Poole that drew a technical foul on Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley, Wagner's former coach in Orlando.
The team established control early, ending the first quarter with a 39-25 lead, their second-highest scoring first quarter in two years. Their offensive momentum carried into the second quarter, where they extended their lead to 83-66 by halftime, their highest-scoring half since December 2022.
In the second half, the Nets continued to build on their advantage. A putback dunk by Clowney extended the lead to 104-77 in the third quarter, effectively sealing the game. Unlike a previous road game where they relinquished a large lead, Brooklyn maintained and expanded its advantage throughout the latter half, eventually leading by as many as 41 points.