Feb. 8, 2026, 7:31 a.m. ET
NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets (14-37) have been caught in an extended rut since the calendar turned to January, but they will have games here and there where they can face an opponent having similar hardships. With the Washington Wizards (14-37) coming to town, Washington did not have the majority of its rotation available and Brooklyn took advantage.
The Nets beat the Wizards on Saturday 127-113 thanks to amassing a 34-point lead that allowed Brooklyn to have some lapses along the way and still win by double-digits. Forward Michael Porter Jr. led the way for the Nets with 23 points and six rebounds while center Day’Ron Sharpe had 19 points and nine rebounds off the bench with Washington missing plenty of size.
The Nets won this game convincingly thanks to the team’s concentration in the beginning along with the Wizards not having many players to rely on with most of their eight players being guys that are usually at the end of the bench. Brooklyn took care of business when they faced an opponent that was hurting so here are three Nets takeaways from Saturday’s win over the Wizards:
Michael Porter Jr. Somewhat Bounces Back
Since January, Porter has seen his numbers decrease across the board as it seems that opposing teams are tailoring their defense to make his shots harder and/or force him to give up the ball before he’s ready. With the Wizards missing most of their rotation, Porter was able to take advantage of the injury-shortened roster and was able to get to his sweet spots on the floor throughout the game.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Day’Ron Sharpe Dominant Off The Bench
What has been repeatedly said throughout this season is that Sharpe has been one of the better players in the league on a per-minute basis among NBA bench players. With Washington missing plenty of size due to injuries, Sharpe came close to another double-double as he dropped 19 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in just 20 minutes off the bench.
Nets Earn A Much-Needed Double-Digit Win
The season has been tough for the Nets since the calendar turned to January as they went from performing like one of the best teams in the league in December to struggling to be competitive in most games. This game gave Brooklyn the chance to beat up on a team that was dealing with plenty of injuries and the Nets took advantage of the opportunity in front of their home crowd to boost morale for the time being.