March 8, 2026, 10:58 a.m. ET

The Brooklyn Nets (16-47) came into Saturday’s game at the Detroit Pistons (45-17) on a 10-game losing streak, but they had been making strides over the past few games. Granted, Brooklyn was still missing sharpshooting rookie guard Egor Demin to a left plantar fascia injury, but the Nets took advantage of a Detroit team missing Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson.

The Nets beat the Pistons 107-105 in a game in which they trailed by as many as 23 points and the comeback was thanks to the effort of multiple players throughout the rotation. Forward Michael Porter Jr. finished the contest with 30 points and 13 rebounds while forward Ziaire Williams came off the bench to deliver 23 points and four rebounds in 32 crucial minutes.

Detroit amassed its 23-point lead in the third quarter with players like forward Tobias Harris (18 points, 10 rebounds) and center Jalen Duren (17 points, 14 rebounds) doing their best to keep the ship afloat without Cunningham in the lineup. The Pistons did a great job of pressuring the Nets on the perimeter as they forced Brooklyn to commit 20 turnovers, leading to 21 points for the home team.

Not only did Porter and Williams play at their best when the team needed them the most, but forward Noah Clowney (16 points, three rebounds) and backup center Day’Ron Sharpe (13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals) stepped up as well. The Nets coming back from a 23-point deficit to win against the Pistons was tied for the fifth-largest comeback in franchise history.

This seemed to be one of those games where head coach Jordi Fernandez saw it fit to trust some of his veterans to make decisions with the ball as rookie guards Nolan Traore (15 minutes) and Ben Saraf (4) played just 19 minutes combined. The good news is that the Nets were able to end their losing streak at 10 games and now, they can look forward to their matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday with their heads held high.

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Here are the Nets player grades following Saturday’s win at the Pistons:

Nolan Traore: F

Traore had one of his worst games since entering the rotation as the starting point guard as he couldn’t get anything going against the backcourt of Daniss Jenkins and Marcus Sasser. Traore, who played solid basketball for much of the past month, had trouble taking care of the basketball and couldn’t defend his man without fouling, leading to him not playing that much down the stretch of the game.

Terance Mann: C+

Mann was one of the crucial members for the Nets in the midst of the 23-point comeback as he was solid on both ends of the floor, especially on the defensive end. Mann is able to take advantage of when defenses leave him open on the perimeter and despite having to guard players like Duncan Robinson throughout the majority of the contest, he was able to compete defensively in the face of foul trouble.

Michael Porter Jr.: A

Porter did not necessarily have the most efficient shooting game that he’s had since coming to Brooklyn, but he has stepped up his production over the past few games. Porter is still have some issues with taking tough, contested shots that lower his efficiency, but this Nets teams needs him to put shots up if they’re going to win games like they did in Detroit.

Noah Clowney: B+

Clowney has been the example of consistency during this road trip as he dropped at least 16 points for the third straight game and it was due to how well he is processing what he’s supposed to be doing on the floor. Clowney didn’t shoot the ball well this time around, but he made up for that by being aggressive in driving to the basket and repeatedly getting to the free-throw line.

Nic Claxton: B-

Claxton struggled to score against the center tandem of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart and at this point, it’s fair to wonder if his hand injuries are starting to catch up with him on the offensive end of the floor. With that being said, Claxton did virtually everything else on the floor as he rebounded well and played excellent defense against Duren, but he also sat on the bench down the stretch of the comeback.

Ziaire Williams: A

Similar to Clowney, Williams has been playing well over the past few games and it seems like he has figured out how he can make an impact on both ends of the court in the same game. Williams, who is known for his defensive intensity, tends to be good on one end of the floor or the other, but he put it all together in this one and that has to be encouraging for the Nets to see.

Danny Wolf: B

Wolf had a solid outing for Brooklyn on both ends of the floor as his combination of size and ball-handling ability seemed to pose an issue for the shorthanded Pistons at times. Wolf has been solid over the past few weeks as he looks more confident with the ball in his hands along with being in the right spot on the defensive end of the floor in high-pressure situations.

Day’Ron Sharpe: A

Sharpe was one of the most impactful players that touched the floor for the Nets on Saturday as he made plays happen on both ends of the floor while playing as hard as he could. Sharpe had an issue with turnovers, but he did a good job of scoring the ball around the rim, rebounding, passing, and he also used his quick hands to make some impressive plays on the defensive end of the court.

Ochai Agbaji: C+

Agbaji seems to be getting the nod as one of the backup forwards to come off the bench instead of Josh Minott and it’s games like this where it makes sense for head coach Jordi Fernandez to go in that direction. Agbaji did a good job of scoring the basketball in an efficient manner while also making some of the effort plays through his rebounding and defense that provides a spark for the rest of the team.

Ben Saraf: F

Saraf played just four minutes in this matchup as it became clear early on that he wasn’t ready to handle the defensive pressure that Detroit was able to apply on the perimeter defensively. Saraf has been playing solid basketball during his recent stint out of the G League, but it’s matchups like this where the team is reminded that he still has plenty of learning to do.