An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Jalen Duren, who scored a game-high 26 points, slams home a dunk during the third quarter of the Nets’ 138-100 blowout loss over the Pistons at Barclays Center on March 10, 2026, Image 2 shows Michael Porter Jr., who scored a team-high 19 points, drives on Tolu Smith during the Nets’ blowout loss to the Pistons.
After a brief two-game winning streak, the Nets returned to their tanking form.
Brooklyn got bullied in its own home, routed 138-100 by the visiting Pistons before a sellout crowd of 17,548 at Barclays Center.
The Nets had pulled off the fifth-biggest comeback in team history Saturday, rallying from 23 points down to win in Detroit.
Jalen Duren, who scored a game-high 26 points, slams home a dunk during the third quarter of the Nets’ 138-100 blowout loss over the Pistons at Barclays Center on March 10, 2026. Getty Images
Then they started a big, strong lineup in Monday’s Pyrrhic victory over a shamelessly tanking Memphis team that fielded just eight players.
Tuesday was the opposite end of the blowout spectrum.
The Nets played without Egor Dëmin, Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams. They played their starters limited minutes. And in the end, they got blown out.
Brooklyn got outmuscled and outscored 64-24 in the point, outrun 26-5 in fast break points and trailed by as much as 43.
“I think defending the paint was a big problem for us,” rookie Ben Saraf said. “They basically scored whenever they wanted in the paint, so our low man was not there. Transition, points of turnovers. So, yeah.”
The Nets were 0-of-14 from deep in the first half and dug a hole they couldn’t climb out of.
Starters Nic Claxton and Nolan Traore combined for just four points on 1-of-8 shooting. They coughed up 56.5 percent shooting and 16-of-32 from 3-point range, getting torn up defensively.
Detroit star Cade Cunningham — who missed Saturday’s Nets win — had 21 points and 15 assists to finish plus-37. Jalen Duren added a game-high 26.
Michael Porter Jr., who scored a team-high 19 points, drives on Tolu Smith during the Nets’ blowout loss to the Pistons. AP
“We had to protect our paint, and we had to take care of the ball,” Jordi Fernández said. “And 29 points off turnovers to their seven; that’s a 22-point difference. And then the paint 64 for them to our 24 to no 40 point difference. So it’s hard. Hard to win.”
Impossible.
The Nets fell to 17-48, and are fourth in the lottery standings, keeping pace a half-game behind third-place Washington.
The Wizards took tanking to an entirely new level, letting Bam Adebayo light them up for 83 points. But the Nets at least helped themselves in the tanking race.
Brooklyn temporarily iss 1 ¹/₂ games behind Sacramento and two behind Indiana. The Kings beat the visiting Pacers Tuesday night.
Dëmin was out, shelved for the season with plantar fasciitis.
Sharpe was out with a sprained left thumb, and Williams was sidelined with an illness. Fernández offered no timeline for Sharpe to return.
Michael Porter Jr. was back in the starting lineup after having been rested the night prior against the Grizzlies. He finished with a team-high 19 points.
Saraf, who has been struggling mightily, added 10 points and six assists.
Danny Wolf had 13 points and over the past couple of weeks is finally starting to find some consistency.