Jan. 12, 2026, 11:19 p.m. ET

The Brooklyn Nets (11-26) came into Monday’s game at the Dallas Mavericks (15-25) on the second night of a back-to-back after a tough loss at the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. Brooklyn was dealing with two key players out of the lineup in rookie Egor Demin and Cam Thomas, but the Nets just didn’t show up the way they needed to for all four quarters.

The Nets lost at the Mavericks 113-105 after falling behind by as many as 14 points in the game thanks to a slow start to the game. Forward Michael Porter Jr. was back in the lineup after being rested on Sunday and he dropped 28 points and nine rebounds while center Day’Ron Sharpe had arguably his best game of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.

The Nets was able to come back to make the game interesting in the second half, but defense was a persistent issue as they allowed rookie Cooper Flagg to go off for 27 points, five rebounds, and five assists during his time on the floor. Brooklyn’s road trip continues with a matchup at the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, but here are the Nets player grades after Monday’s loss at the Mavericks:

Terance Mann: C

With rookie Egor Demin out for this game as head coach Jordi Fernandez and the medical staff are looking to manage his plantar fascia, Mann drew the start as the de facto point guard for this starting lineup. Mann did a great job of running the offense for Brooklyn as he didn’t turn the ball over while playing solid defense on the perimeter against the Mavericks.

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Drake Powell: C

With Terance Mann moving up to the point guard spot in this unit, Powell drew the start as the shooting guard and while it was a rough start for him, he settled into the game relatively quickly. Powell picked up two fouls in the first few minutes of the game, but after that, he played disciplined defense while providing some of the offensive punch that he gave in the beginning of the season.

Michael Porter Jr.: B

Porter did a great job of scoring the ball in Dallas, especially since he was able to get close to his season scoring averages while maintaining elite efficiency shooting the ball. Porter has been the offensive engine for the Nets this entire season and while he turned the ball over too many times, he did a good job of drawing the attention of Dallas’ defense on every possession.

Noah Clowney: C+

With Michael Porter Jr. back in the lineup, Clowney didn’t have to carry as much of the offensive load as he did on Sunday, but his shooting efficiency still left some to be desired. To his credit, Clowney did a good job of getting to the free-throw line to make up for his shooting struggles, but the scoring was his only source of impact in this one in Dallas.

Nic Claxton: B+

Claxton had a solid, all-around game for the Nets, even if the stat line doesn’t show that he had that much of an impact against the Mavericks. Claxton did a good job of scoring at the rim when the ball came his away and his made his presence felt in the paint, especially when it came to protecting the rim when someone like Cooper Flagg drove to the rim.

Jalen Wilson: B

Wilson saw some extended minutes in this one with players like Egor Demin and Cam Thomas not playing and Wilson did a solid job during his time on the floor. Wilson didn’t shoot the ball well from behind the three-point line, but he continued to be aggressive on the offensive end by driving to the rim while also making the hustle plays that Fernandez wants to see from him.

Danny Wolf: C

Wolf didn’t remain in the starting lineup for this game and while he still saw some extended minutes on the floor, he struggled shooting the ball overall. Wolf couldn’t get anything to fall from behind the three-point line and he also had trouble finishing at the rim over the length of Dallas’ front-line. Wolf was solid on the defensive end as he continued to move his feet well for his size.

Day’Ron Sharpe: A

Sharpe had arguably his best game of the season as he ended the first half with a double-double, showing how impactful he was throughout the game. Sharpe was probably the biggest player on the floor for both teams and he used his size to his advantage by making sure to put pressure on the rim and establish his dominance in the paint throughout the game.

Tyrese Martin: C+

Martin didn’t have the shooting explosion that he had on Sunday against the Grizzlies, but he was still solid on the offensive end of the floor with his overall scoring. Martin was solid on the defensive end and he provided good production off the bench for a Nets team that was dealing with Demin and Thomas out of the lineup for their respective injuries.

Nolan Traore: B-

Traore has been getting better with each game and this matchup against the Mavericks showed that his confidence is growing to the point where he looks like the guy that the Nets drafted with the 19th overall pick. Traore’s shooting is still a work-in-progress, but his passing is impressive with the way that he is finding his openings sooner within an given possession.