About time. After a difficult start to the season with five consecutive defeats, some of them particularly heavy, the Brooklyn Nets have finally recorded their first win, beating the Indiana Pacers 98-90 on the road. Indiana, meanwhile, continue to fall short of expectations and have now suffered four consecutive defeats of their own.
It was far from a classic. Poor shooting percentages, 29 turnovers between the two teams and plenty of scrappy play made for a difficult contest. But for Jordi Fernández’s side, the important thing was to dig deep, put their previous defeats behind them and find a way to win on the home court of the 2025 NBA finalists.
And that is exactly what they did. Brooklyn led by just three points at half-time, but had extended their advantage to nine heading into the fourth quarter. It was not a commanding lead, but in such a low-scoring game, it gave them enough breathing room to trade baskets with Indiana and see out the victory.
As for individual performances, the team’s leaders stepped up when it mattered. Jordi Fernández had spoken before the game about the need for Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. to take greater responsibility. They responded with 20 and 23 points respectively, playing key roles in securing Brooklyn’s long-awaited first win.
There were other positives for the Nets, too. Their defence delivered its best performance of the season, holding an opponent below 110 points for the first time and conceding just 90. Nolan Traoré also impressed, contributing 16 points and six assists, while Day’Ron Sharpe added 15 points and 13 rebounds.
(Photograph by IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
