Brooklyn Nets fumble comeback vs Memphis Grizzlies, lose 103-98

The Memphis Grizzlies, once seen as “Net killers,” seem to have been declawed. Whether that happened when Dillon Brooks started poking other bears, their head coaching changed, or when they cashed out on Desmond Bane, they’re no long the ferocious, ursine creatures they resembled in the early 2020s.

Still, they were able to rip the Nets up tonight.

In fairness, Brooklyn dosed themselves in honey and bacon grease by going into this one without Michael Porter Jr. With the Nets beginning a back-to-back sequence in Memphis, they opted to rest their offensive savant in today’s matinee. Unrelated or not, there’s no shortage of trade smoke around MPJ this week as well.

Danny Wolf, making his third career start, filled in for him aside the usual opening five and played probably his best all-around game as a pro. Nolan Traore and Day’Ron Sharpe looked good as well.

However, Porter’s absence was immediately felt. Brooklyn’s first shot of the game was a Noah Clowney air-ball, which only indicated just how the offense would fare minus its leading scorer. Shooting just 9-of-25 on field goals to begin the game, the Nets trailed by as many as 16 in the opening period.

For Memphis, Cedric Coward was anything but timid (sorry), spraying the Nets with 13 first quarter points after shooting 5-of-6 from the field. The Grizzlies did well dictating the game’s pace early, surely helped by Brooklyn’s bevy of misses which invited the Memphis offense to push against a un-set defense.

To keep things from falling into blowout territory early for a second straight game, the Nets needed a few unlikely heroes to step up to the plate, and Traoré was first in the box. The Brooklyn Bugatti (trademark pending but appropriate) was assertive, looking to touch the paint and create for others. He took his first steps toward earning a “giant slayer” badge to close the first quarter as well…

By all accounts, Traoré and Day’Ron Sharpe were best part of the first half for the Nets. They looked comfortable operating around each other as pick-and-roll dance partners and momentarily slowed the Memphis offense. By halftime, Sharpe pitched in eight points, seven rebounds, a steal, a block, and an assist in eight minutes of play.

Tyrese Martin also joined Sharpe and Traoré as a dark horse contributor. He fielded nine first quarter minutes after riding bench all of last week. Martin even the Nets at half with 11 points after going a perfect 3-of-3 from deep. He also came up with two steals, helping the Nets secure 15 points off turnovers, and get their deficit down to six points early in the second. However, Memphis managed to pump the lead back up to double digits by halftime, still shooting better than Brooklyn from the field and three while also earning a +6 rebounding advantage.

But the Nets would make another bid for the lead early in the third. They did so with the same thing that’s gotten them a handful of victories, or at least moral ones, over the past few weeks: their defense.

Brooklyn began the third on 14-6 run which made it a three point game roughly halfway through the period. Rotating with greater precision and poise than in previous half, the Nets subjected Memphis to a 3-of-1 start from the field and 0-of-5 from deep. In the process, Wolf found a second him in the corner, canning two triples from there in the period. His second tied the game up at the 6:20 point of the third.

Wolf also contributed to Brooklyn’s resurgent defense in the second half, clawing at the ball and making extra efforts to coral rebounds. He also also helped stall the once speedy Memphis offense, which ran down nine fast break points in the first quarter but mustered just eight for the rest of the game. In the period, Wolf grabbed eight points on 3-of-6 shooting, along with a steal an three boards. That helped him get his first career double-double, tallying 11 points and 10 boards for the game while shooting 4-of-11 from the field and 2-of-5 from deep.

“The defense and the rebounding, it’s outstanding,” Jordi Fernández said of Wolf’s game. “10 rebounds, seven of them defensive rebounds, which we need him to do, because we were missing Michael, and then the aggressiveness, like playing off two feet at the rim, because they have a lot of good rim protectors, and then letting it fly. He shot five of them. I have to watch the film. I still think he could have shot at least two or three more, especially late in the game. We needed him to shoot that shot but I believe he will. He’s willing to do the right things. And you know, I don’t want him to get caught i the negative because he did a lot of good things. We’re going to keep helping him, because he’s trying really hard.”

Jalen Wilson, who also rejoined the rotation tonight, hit a triple soon after to give the Nets a one-point lead with 2:20 to go in the third, but a scoring recoil by Memphis put them back in front by three entering the fourth. The Grizzlies dominated the Nets in the paint almost all afternoon, and the third was no different, as the Grizz rocked and rolled their way to 16 points in that frame.

In the fourth, Sharpe and Traoré continued to feed off each other, making effort plays at both ends of the floor. Sharpe didn’t score in the second half but still finished with an 8/13/3 line. Traoré finished with only four points but a career-high six assists and as a +11.

“I think he’s being aggressive,” Fernández said of his French point guard. “I think he’s used his voice. He’s growing, as we know he’s a young kid, but he works really hard, works like a pro and he’s getting better. Six assists and zero turnovers is pretty impressive. Even right there at the end, he called the right play, he made the right play, he gave an assist for a three, so those are huge steps for him, and I’m very, very proud of him.”

However, Cam Thomas, who only had two points before the fourth, had the highlight of the period, hitting from near-logo range to keep the pressure up on the scoreboard. Thomas ended up with seven points in the fourth to give him nine for the game while shooting 4-of-12 from the field. He did not play after the 5:12 mark of the fourth, howeve…

But a few minutes after Thomas’ three, Wilson again gave the Nets the lead with one of his own, pulling a catch-and-release jumper after a cross-court dime from Traoré. The Nets proceeded to go up 98-90 with around two to play — only for Cam Spencer and Coward to respond with back-to-back triples. Those makes, plus a weight-room take from Santi Aldama over Clowney, knotted things up again with 1:37 remaining.

Coward, still fearless, then hit another with the Net defense out of sync following two straight offensive rebounds from Jock Landale.

Brooklyn had extra shots as well. With the ball and down three, the Nets got two looks for Clowney via an offensive rebound from Wolf, but he failed to connect on either of them. Clowney hoisted a career-high 15 attempts from deep today, but probably could have done with one less. Not only did Clowney go 4-15 for the game, but on his last attempt, also had Danny Wolf open at the top of the key for a better look at a possible equalizer.

“I mean, we need him to be aggressive,” Fernández said of Clowney’s shot profile. “We only turned it over 10 times against a team that creates a lot of turnovers, so we won that battle, especially the points off turnover battle, and we also did a good job on the boards with 17 second chance points. So, those shots avoid a turnover and also give us the opportunity to rebound. I know that Noah, every time he shoots 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.”

But on that last attempt, Clowney found the side of the backboard, and on Memphis’ next possession, Landale found the ball before any other Nets on the defensive glass. That gave the Grizzlies the ball with only 11 seconds to go, and essentially the game.

While acknowledging his team’s missteps tonight, Fernández kept the growth goal in mind when speaking postgame.

“It comes with responsibility,” Fernández said. “Responsibility to take the shot when you open, responsibility to box out when you have to. Obviously, the 19 second chance points — once again, if we don’t rebound, we don’t win. We’ve been the number one defensive rebounding team for a stretch of games where we had the best defense, and now we’re not rebounding and we’re not winning games. Got to keep learning, got to keep getting 1% better every day, and holding the guys accountable, but also supporting them because there were good things done tonight.”

Final: Memphis Grizzlies 103, Brooklyn Nets 98

Tyrese Martin went 5-for-7 3PT against Memphis, tied for his most 3-pointers of the season (5-for-9 on 11/23 at TOR). He had 17 points in 21 minutes off the bench, his third-most points of the season (has scored 20+ twice).Day’Ron Sharpe’s 13 rebounds tonight are a season high for him.Jalen Wilson had 11 points off the bench today against the Grizzlies, his second time scoring 10+ points this season (season high is 13, 11/29 at MIL). He has hit three 3-pointers, tied for his season high (fourth time).Egor Dëmin has now made multiple 3-pointers in six straight games from 12/29 – 1/11, tied with Kerry Kittles (12/19/96 – 1/9/97) for the second-longest streak by a rookie in franchise history. He is one game away from tying Kittles’ record of seven straight from 1/30 – 2/12/97.

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The Nets will stay on the road to complete their seventh back-to-back season against Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks. While they may have three more wins to their name, including one over Brooklyn already this year, it’s hard to find a team having a rockier season than the Mavs. So much so that ownership and management are considering joining the tank corps. We’ll see if the Nets can add further insult to injury Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET.