For the Nets, the endgame was pretty galling.

But for their tanking efforts, the end result was pretty good.

Brooklyn blew a huge late lead and fell 115-110 to tanking rival Indiana before a crowd of 16,779 at Barclays Center on Wednesday night.

Indiana’s Jarace Walker, who scored a game-high 23 points, looks to make a move on Ben Saraf during the Nets’ 115-110 loss to the Pacers on Feb. 11, 2026 at Barclays Center. AP

After the Nets starters built an 18-point cushion, their bench squandered it.

And once rookie Egor Dëmin’s surprisingly clean 3-point look rimmed out in the final second, they’d suffered a vexing come-from-ahead defeat.

Granted, the Nets (15-38) might have also avoided a Pyrrhic victory.

They’re still fifth in the lottery standings, but now just a game behind the fourth-place Pacers and second-place Washington.

They’re two games clear of the sixth-place Jazz, thanks to Utah’s win against Sacramento.

“A lot of the things we did well, we stopped doing well. Only one good defensive quarter doesn’t help in the NBA,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “In the second half we gave up 13 second-chance points, nine fast-break points, and in the third quarter alone we had 11 turnovers.

“Those are things we can control, and we weren’t good enough. That’s why we lost. We have higher standards than that, especially on things we can control, and when you get an opportunity you have to play as hard as you can and be locked in. Losing three out of four quarters, you’re not going to win many games.”

After the Nets had blown an 82-64 lead midway through the third, Day’Ron Sharpe had a steal and layup to knot the game at 110-110 with 38 seconds left.

But Kam Jones — who had missed all five of his attempts from deep to that point — hit a prayer 3-pointer with seven seconds left to put the Nets in a 113-110 hole.

And despite getting free for a clean look, Dëmin just missed and Indiana iced it at the line.

Nolan Traore, who scored 20 points, reacts after scoring a bucket during the Nets’ loss to the Pacers at Barclays Center. Robert Sabo for New York Post

“It was an amazing play. Knowing their coverage, I knew it would be a good shot for me unless they changed something. I’m really upset it didn’t go in, but I’ve got to move on,” said Dëmin, who had 13 points, five assists and five rebounds. “I’ll probably sit with it a little over the break, but then think about the next games.”

Brooklyn played without starters Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney and Michael Porter Jr. Rookie Nolan Traore had 20 points and eight assists in another big night, albeit five of the 16 Nets turnovers.

Still, the rookies were encouraging, with 65 of the Nets’ 110 points. But the bench as a whole did Brooklyn in.

Brooklyn reeled off eight unanswered points to pad the cushion to 82-64 midway through the third.

Day’Ron Sharpe goes up for a layup during the Nets’ loss to the Pacers at Barclays Center. Robert Sabo for New York Post

Sharpe (season-high 19 points, 12 rebounds, five assists) kicked out to Ziaire Williams for a 3-pointer that gave the Nets their biggest lead of the evening.

It was still 86-70 after Traore’s skip pass to Williams with 4:31 left in the third. But Brooklyn couldn’t protect that lead, helplessly watching it bleed away.

The Nets conceded an extended 30-11 run that spanned the third and fourth. And all but six points of that came with the reserves on the floor.

Brooklyn had an 86-73 lead when the starters went out with three minutes left in the third.

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It was tied 97-all when Traore, Dëmin and Sharpe checked back in, the bench on the wrong side of a 24-11 blitz.

Micah Potter (19 points, 12 boards) put the Pacers ahead at the line, and his putback dunk made it 100-97 with 7:11 left.

Traore tied it at 105-105 on a high-difficulty turnaround in the lane, and a Dëmin corner 3-pointer put the Nets back ahead 108-106 with 2:04 to play.

Sharpe had a steal and layup to knot it at 110-110 with 38 seconds left, but Jones’ 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining turned out to be the winner.

Jarace Walker led the Pacers with a game-high 23 points.

“A lot of it was just being careless,” Fernández said. “Starting with me, we all have to be better.”