Nets Blow 17-Point Lead in Painful Loss to Hawks

The Brooklyn Nets appeared to be in control for most of Saturday night's matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, but a disastrous finish turned what looked like a promising road victory into another frustrating loss. Despite leading for nearly the entire game and building a 17-point advantage, Brooklyn couldn't hold on late, falling 124-121 to Atlanta at State Farm Arena.

The loss drops the Nets to 2-7 on the season, while the Hawks improve to 7-4.

Brooklyn got off to an outstanding start, opening the game with a 12-2 run behind contributions from Nolan Traoré, Day'Ron Sharpe, and Michael Porter Jr. Traoré scored four of the Nets' first six points, including a steal and transition layup, before knocking down a three-pointer to help extend the early advantage. Porter followed with a three of his own, forcing Atlanta to use an early timeout.

The Nets continued to take advantage of their hot shooting, getting contributions throughout the lineup. Julius Randle connected from beyond the arc, while Danny Wolf knocked down a three-pointer in his first start of the season. Wolf was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Chaney Johnson, who returned to a bench role.

Brooklyn shot 12-of-14 from the field to start the game and finished the first quarter with a 37-27 advantage. Atlanta also welcomed back Jalen Johnson, who had missed the previous three games. The Hawks briefly had a scare when Onyeka Okongwu exited just 26 seconds into the contest with an apparent throat injury, but he was able to return and make an impact.

The Nets maintained their offensive production in the second quarter, but their defensive issues and turnovers allowed Atlanta to stay within striking distance. Brooklyn built its lead back to 17 points, but the Hawks finished the half with a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to just 70-66.

Porter led Brooklyn with 18 points at halftime, while Traoré had 15 and Sharpe contributed eight points and eight assists. Atlanta was getting plenty of production from Johnson, who already had 14 points. The Nets also had 11 turnovers that resulted in 15 Hawks points, an issue that would become even more costly as the game progressed.

Brooklyn managed to keep Atlanta at a distance throughout the third quarter, winning the period 25-22. Porter continued to make an impact offensively, while Randle, Sharpe, and Wolf helped the Nets maintain their lead. Traoré also continued to put together an impressive performance, showcasing his ability to create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

However, Atlanta wasn't going away.

The Hawks made their move in the fourth quarter, with Aaron Wiggins catching fire from beyond the arc. Wiggins knocked down consecutive three-pointers early in the period before continuing to put pressure on Brooklyn's defense. The Nets received timely contributions from Mikel Brown Jr., who hit multiple three-pointers to help keep Atlanta at bay.

Brown's third three-pointer of the quarter gave Brooklyn a 114-110 advantage, but the Hawks responded with a three-pointer from Okongwu and continued to chip away. Johnson tied the game at 114 before Nickeil Alexander-Walker knocked down two free throws to give Atlanta its first lead of the night.

The Nets had led for the entire game up to that point, but everything unraveled over the final minutes. Atlanta went on a devastating 13-2 run, taking control after trailing by as many as 17 points. Johnson continued to attack the basket, Alexander-Walker added another basket, and the Hawks suddenly had a six-point advantage.

Randle briefly stopped the bleeding with a layup, but Brooklyn couldn't get enough stops to complete the comeback. Danny Wolf knocked down a three-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining after the Nets perfectly executed an intentionally missed free throw, giving Brooklyn one final opportunity to pull off a late comeback. However, Atlanta secured another free throw to finish off the 124-121 victory.

There were several positives for Brooklyn offensively, but the numbers tell the story of why the Nets couldn't get the job done. Atlanta dominated the paint, outscoring Brooklyn 70-48, while the Nets committed 22 turnovers compared to just 12 for the Hawks.

Porter finished with 25 points and nine rebounds, while Randle added 19 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. Traoré had arguably his best performance of the season, recording 19 points and four steals. Brown contributed 18 points, while Wolf finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Sharpe also put together an impressive performance, recording 12 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-high 13 assists for a triple-double.

Johnson led Atlanta with 30 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Wiggins and Alexander-Walker each finished with 20 points, while Okongwu added 16 points, five assists, and four blocks.

One particularly questionable decision from Brooklyn's perspective was the lack of playing time for Traoré in the fourth quarter. After putting together such a strong performance throughout the first three periods, the rookie didn't see the floor in the final quarter. With the Nets struggling to close out the game, leaving one of their most productive players on the bench was certainly a head-scratching decision.

Keon Ellis also did not see the floor, marking his first DNP of the season. Danny Wolf and Terance Mann both appeared to move ahead of him in the rotation.

Ultimately, this was a game the Nets should have won. They played well enough offensively to build a sizable lead, but their inability to protect the basketball, defend the paint, and execute down the stretch cost them another opportunity to pick up a victory.

Brooklyn will have to put this one behind them quickly, as the Nets return to action Sunday night when they visit the Dallas Mavericks for a 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff.