Updated Feb. 20, 2026, 11:22 p.m. ET

The Brooklyn Nets (15-40) were coming off a demoralizing loss at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday to try to face the Oklahoma City Thunder (43-14) on the second night of a back-to-back. Brooklyn was still without center Nic Claxton along with forward Ziaire Williams and yet, they were able to make some runs. Oklahoma City prevailed in the end, however.

The Nets lost at the Thunder on Friday 105-86 in which Brooklyn trailed by as many as 20 points despite making some nice runs in the third quarter. Forward Michael Porter Jr. led the way for the Nets with 22 points and nine rebounds while rookie guard Nolan Traore has 17 points and three assists against a Thunder team that made each offensive possession tough.

Despite the fact that Oklahoma City was missing two key players in guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Jalen Williams, the Thunder were able to find a way to generate enough offense to win the game. Former Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain led the team in scoring with 21 points off the bench. Here are the Nets player grades following Friday’s loss at the Thunder:

Nolan Traore: B

Traore struggled shooting the ball from three-point land, but he did a good overall job of scoring the ball, especially when it comes to scoring in the paint against Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Traore had a tough time dealing with Cason Wallace and his tenacious defense, but he did a good job of getting Wallace back on the defensive end with his activity and quickness.

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

Demin had arguably one of his worst games of the season as he couldn’t buy a basket shooting the ball, which was especially surprising given how well he’s been shooting the ball from three-point range. Demin has been struggling with his offensive game since coming back from the All-Star break, but the good news is that he is competing more on the defensive end of the floor.

Michael Porter Jr.: B

Porter has been uncharacteristically struggling with his three-point shooting, but as he showed in this one, he is more than willing to go to the rim when the defense runs him off the line. Porter has had more efficient shooting games than this contest, but he did a great job of being aggressive getting to the free-throw line to couple with his rebounding and passing.

Noah Clowney: C

Clowney had his fair share of struggles in this one as he couldn’t get much daylight against the Thunder’s perimeter defense and that played a part in his inefficient outing. Clowney ddi a good job of rebounding the ball, but he normally has been better on the defensive end of the floor than he was against Oklahoma City.

Day’Ron Sharpe: B

Sharpe remained in the starting lineup with Nic Claxton nursing his ankle injury and he played much better against the Thunder than he did against the Cavaliers. Despite matching up against Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren for the majority of the game, Sharpe did a good job of finishing around the basket while rebounding the ball well to pair with his penchant for making defensive plays.

Jalen Wilson: C

Wilson saw some extra playing time with Claxton and Ziaire Williams (personal reasons) out of the lineup, but he wasn’t able to make much of an impact during his time on the floor. Wilson did not get up too many shot attempts in a game that seemed to slow down to a slog in the second half, but he has had more impactful games than he did in this one.

Danny Wolf: B-

Wolf had a slow start to this game, but he began to find his rhythm in the second half as the Nets were trying to get back into the game after facing a 20-point deficit. By the end, Wolf still finished the evening with an inefficient scoring effort, but he did a decent job of rebounding and protecting the rim during his time on the floor as the backup center.

Terance Mann: C+

With the Nets being shorthanded due to Claxton and Williams being out of the rotation, Mann saw some extra playing time off the bench, but he has had more impactful games as one of the veterans on the team. Mann did a good job of rebounding the ball and playing solid defense, but he wasn’t able to make the plays on the offensive end that the team needed from him.

Ochai Agbaji: C-

Agbaji struggled mightily with his shooting in this one despite getting some solid looks which was unlike his performance against the Cavaliers when he seemingly couldn’t miss from the field. Agbaji still has a small sample size when it comes to his potential fit with this Nets roster, but from the short amount of time he has spent on the floor, he looks to be a player that can make an impact for Brooklyn.

Drake Powell: C-

Powell looked out of sorts against the Cavaliers so it’s probably safe to assume that head coach Jordi Fernandez was hoping for him to be more prepared to play from the beginning. From the outset, Powell looked more confident with the ball in his hands and he was more active on the defensive end, but until he can be a more consistent shooter, his impact will vary wildly from game to game.