Nets Open Preseason with Dominant 124-90 Victory Over Hornets

The Brooklyn Nets kicked off their preseason with a commanding 124-90 victory against the Charlotte Hornets, demonstrating a significantly improved offensive performance from the previous season.

Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. spearheaded the Nets' effort, with Porter Jr. scoring a team-high 16 points on 4-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Randle contributed 13 points and three assists. This offensive output was particularly notable for a team that ranked last in the league in offensive rating and 3-point percentage last season, as they shot 55.0 percent from the field and made 20 of 37 three-pointers.

The Nets' defense also played a crucial role, forcing 25 turnovers from the short-handed Hornets, which led to a 25-6 advantage in fast-break points. The team recorded 31 assists on 44 made field goals.

“Yeah, it was a good feeling obviously,” head coach Jordi Fernández said. “First game preseason we accomplished playing pretty much everybody that was available. Everybody won their minutes. That’s important — to play hard for 48 minutes.”

Fernández noted that the team struggled with turnovers in the first half but improved significantly in the second. He also highlighted the team's defensive pressure that led to turnovers but expressed a need for improvement in closing out on 3-point shooters.

Day’Ron Sharpe added eight points and seven rebounds, with two blocks and a plus-19 rating in his 17 minutes on the court. Drake Powell, who had struggled in the summer league, contributed nine points on 4-for-6 shooting, hitting his only 3-point attempt and finishing with a game-high plus-20 rating.

The Nets played all available healthy players, with the exception of first-round picks Mikel Brown Jr. (ankle) and Joshua Jefferson (lower back), who are injured. Charlotte was without several key players, including Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Coby White.