As endgame implosions go, this one was pretty epic.
The Nets turned their first potential win without Michael Porter Jr. into a heartbreaker.
They turned a come-from-behind rally into a collapse.
And when it was over — when they’d conceded the final 13 points of the game — Brooklyn had a 103-98 loss to Memphis before 15,578 fans at FedExForum on Sunday.
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Along with the latest reminder that this young team — outrebounded 54-43, and unable to buy a board when it needed one — still doesn’t know how to win.
Noah Clowney #21 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 11, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NBAE via Getty Images
Or how to hold onto a win they did all the hard work to earn.
“It comes with responsibility, responsibility to take the shot when you’re open, responsibility to box out when you have to,” said Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernández. “Obviously, the 19 second-chance points (allowed), once again, if we don’t rebound, we don’t win.
“We’d been the No. 1 defensive rebounding team for a stretch of games when we had the best defense. And now we’re not rebounding, and we’re not winning games. So, got to keep learning. Got to keep getting 1 percent better each day, and holding guys accountable, but also supporting them because there were good things done (Sunday) night.”
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That’s what will likely gall the Nets (11-24) so much. They were a couple of plays away from a feel-good victory. And their first win of the season without Porter.
Instead, they fell to 0-7 without their offensive catalyst — and fell for the third straight game, and sixth in their past seven.
Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) handles the ball against Memphis Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) and forward Jaylen Wells, top right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. AP
After stumbling out of the starting block, Brooklyn fought back from a 16-point deficit to take a 98-90 lead with three minutes to play. But those final 180 seconds turned into a nightmare.
The Nets let Memphis — who played without Ja Morant, ostensibly injured but really on the trade block — to close the game on a 13-0 run. Brooklyn went 0-for-5, including 0-for-4 from deep, with a turnover in those final, fateful three minutes.
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Noah Clowney tried to step up with Porter being rested. He tied Tyrese Martin for team-high honors with 17 points. After he stole the ball from Cam Spencer at the top of the key and hit an ensuing free throw on the other end to cap a 19-5 Brooklyn blitz, the Nets had a 98-90 cushion with three minutes to play.
But they couldn’t hold it. The Nets coughed up the final 13 points as they went ice-cold from the floor. Clowney missed three 3-point attempts down the stretch, finishing the night just 4-for-17 overall and 4-for-15 from deep.
“Yeah, we need him to be aggressive because a shot (is better than a turnover),” said Fernández. “We only turned it over 10 times against a team that creates more turnovers, so we won that battle, especially that points-off-turnover battle.
“I know that Noah out of 15, every time he shoots them, I believe it’s going in. And we need him to be aggressive. So I’m very happy with how he played on both ends, and how he responded with the group right there in the second half.”
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The second half was so close to being a breakthrough. Brooklyn hit 10 3-pointers after intermission, but went 0-for-4 from deep down the stretch.
And after harassing the Grizzlies into missing 11 of their first dozen 3-point attempts in the second half, Brooklyn let them hit 3 of 5 in that endgame run.
Following an early 7-6 lead, the Nets coughed up a 19-4 run that included a couple of Clowney airballs. They were down just 17-11 when they surrendered 10 unanswered points, trailing by 16 after a Santi Aldama 3-pointer.
The Nets held Jaren Jackson Jr. to 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting. His bucket left Brooklyn down 87-84 with 8:21 left before they reeled off seven unanswered to seize the lead.
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Cam Thomas’ fadeaway baseline 18-footer over Aldama made it 91-87. And the run reached 14-3 for an eight-point cushion.
It was one they couldn’t hold.
Brooklyn is fifth in the lottery standings, 1 ½ games behind the fourth-place Wizards (pending their game in Phoenix) and a game ahead of idle Utah.