The Brooklyn Nets (1-8) were feeling good about themselves following Wednesdays’ 112-103 win at the Indiana Pacers and they had another chance to prove themselves on Friday against the upstart Detroit Pistons (7-2). Brooklyn had some bad news to share with Cam Thomas being ruled out for the next three to four weeks due to a left hamstring strain and the Nets clearly missed him.
The Nets lost to the Pistons 125-107 in NBA Cup play and that was despite getting an excellent game from forward Noah Clowney as he continues to grow into his own as a player. Forward Michael Porter Jr. finished the contest with 28 points and five rebounds while Clowney dropped 19 points and two assists to continue what has been an impressive display of growth from him.
Brooklyn began the first half with some of their best basketball as they essentially were going back-and-forth with the Pistons, but Cade Cunningham proved to be too much with his 34 points and 10 assists as he continues his hot start to the season. The Nets trailed by as many as 24 points in this game so with that being said, here are Brooklyn player grades following Friday’s blowout loss:
Egor Demin: B
Demin drew his first start of the season and he looked like he was ready for the opportunity as he ran the offense with poise and control at the same time. Demin also showed a willingness to attack the rim, even though he still has to refine the parts of his game that would allow him to finish more easily and finish through contact. Demin also made some nice passes with a live dribble.
Terance Mann: D
Mann had arguably his quietest game of the season as he wasn’t involved in the flow of the offense in any way, contrary to what he had been doing prior to this game. Mann has had some of his best moments in a Nets uniform with him being aggressive on the offensive end of the floor and with the Pistons scoring with no issue, Mann wasn’t having an impact on that end either.
Michael Porter Jr.: B-
Porter had a slow start to this game as he couldn’t find his rhythm from anywhere on the floor when it came to shooting the ball, but he started to catch fire in the second half. This was Porter’s first time beginning a game without Cam Thomas to take pressure off of him and it seems like Thomas’ absence played a huge role in Porter struggling to consistently lead the offense.
Noah Clowney: B
Clowney showed plenty of glimpses in this one as he was lights-out shooting the ball from behind the three-point line and he even had some nice moments scoring at the rim. However, Clowney could have been more impactful in the rebounding and defensive phases of the game, especially considering that he was essentially a no-show in the second half as well.
Nic Claxton: C+
Claxton had a tough matchup from a physical perspective going against Jalen Duren and the matchup was completely in Duren’s favor thanks to his size and tenacity on the glass. Claxton did a good job of scoring the ball when he got near the rim, but he has had better days rebounding the basketball and defending the rim, even against someone like Duren.
Ziaire Williams: D
Williams had one of his toughest days shooting the ball as he just couldn’t find his range against a tough Pistons defense that was closing out hard at the three-point line. This seemed to be one of those games where the Nets couldn’t not sustain what they did in the first half and players like Williams weren’t able to pick up the slack with their defense or shooting.
Day’Ron Sharpe: C+
Sharpe has had better days asserting his dominance on the glass and in the paint, but it would probably help Sharpe if the Nets didn’t fall behind as much as they did. Sharpe didn’t see many looks within the flow of the offense and that had something to do with the team looking for three-pointers as the deficit continued to grow and Sharpe was mostly out of the fold.
Tyrese Martin: C-
Martin saw extended minutes of the bench, but he wasn’t able to find his scoring against this Detroit defense and that left his minutes with virtually no impact outside of a few nice passes. Martin has brought some stability to the point guard spot for Brooklyn since the season began, but even he turned the ball over more than the team would’ve liked against the Pistons.
Drake Powell: C+
Powell was able to get back on the floor for the Nets after missing the past few games with his ankle sprain and he looked spry and ready to contribute in every way that he could. Powell had some nice moments on both ends of the floor as his athleticism and length has already translated to the NBA game, but the hope is that he can stay healthy and continue growing his game.
