Nets Can't Keep Pace With Grizzlies in Road Loss

The Brooklyn Nets couldn't carry over the momentum from their impressive win over the New Orleans Pelicans, suffering a 129-110 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. Brooklyn struggled to get stops throughout the night, allowing one of the NBA's highest-scoring offenses to find its rhythm early and build a lead that proved too difficult to overcome.

The Nets entered the matchup with Nolan Traoré and Mikel Brown Jr. back in the lineup, but they were without Michael Porter Jr., who was ruled out approximately an hour before tipoff for personal reasons. Brooklyn went with Egor Dëmin, Danny Wolf, Noah Clowney, Julius Randle, and Day'Ron Sharpe in its starting lineup, with Clowney taking Porter's place. Traoré returned to the bench rather than reclaiming his starting spot.

It was an unusually big starting five for Brooklyn, with all five players standing between 6-foot-9 and 6-foot-11. The group was reportedly the fifth-tallest starting lineup in NBA history.

Memphis also entered the game shorthanded, with Ty Jerome (hip soreness), Zach Edey (ankle), and Jerami Grant (head injury) unavailable. Grant and Jerome had been two of the Grizzlies' leading scorers in their victory over New Orleans the previous night, but their absences didn't stop Memphis from putting together an offensive performance that Brooklyn had no answer for.

The Grizzlies wasted little time getting going, knocking down nine three-pointers in the first quarter. Cedric Coward, Cam Spencer, Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson, and Javon Small all connected from beyond the arc as Memphis quickly turned an early 7-5 deficit into a commanding advantage. The Grizzlies went on a 17-4 run to take control, eventually building a 38-23 lead after the opening 12 minutes.

Brooklyn had no answers defensively, allowing Memphis to shoot 9-of-11 from three-point range in the quarter. It was the most points the Nets had surrendered in a first quarter all season, and the lack of resistance made for an extremely difficult start.

The second quarter offered some encouragement for Brooklyn, particularly after Brown made his presence felt following his return. Brown knocked down a pair of three-pointers, while Dëmin also found his rhythm from the perimeter. Brooklyn put together an 8-0 run to cut into the deficit, with Dëmin connecting from deep to make it a 55-45 game.

However, Memphis continued finding ways to respond. Coward and Taylor Hendricks helped keep the Grizzlies comfortably in front, while Spencer knocked down another three-pointer at the halftime buzzer. Memphis outscored Brooklyn 33-31 in the second quarter and carried a 71-54 advantage into the locker room.

The Grizzlies had already made 13 three-pointers by halftime, with Small and Spencer scoring 13 points apiece and Coward adding 12. Randle led Brooklyn with 12 points, but the Nets needed a much better defensive effort if they were going to have any chance of making the game competitive.

Brooklyn showed signs of life coming out of halftime. Randle connected from beyond the arc, Clowney added another three-pointer, and Sharpe continued making an impact on the offensive glass. The Nets gradually chipped away at the deficit, getting within eight points at 85-77 after another Randle three-pointer.

Unfortunately, that was about as close as Brooklyn would get. Memphis responded with a devastating 16-1 run, with Hendricks, Coward, and Small leading the way. The Grizzlies quickly restored their comfortable advantage, eventually taking a 103-84 lead into the fourth quarter after outscoring Brooklyn 32-30 in the period.

The final quarter was more competitive, with both teams scoring 26 points. Brooklyn made one last push, as Danny Wolf caught fire from three-point range and Traoré started finding success attacking the basket. Wolf connected on three three-pointers during a 15-2 Nets run, while Traoré added a pair of baskets to help cut the deficit to 119-106.

However, the comeback attempt came too late. Coward ended the run with an offensive rebound dunk, and Memphis quickly put the game away. The Grizzlies comfortably closed things out to secure a 129-110 victory.

Randle finished with 22 points and five assists while adding three steals. Sharpe had another productive performance with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, while Clowney contributed 15 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Wolf finished with 14 points and six rebounds, and Traoré provided a spark off the bench.

Memphis had several players turn in impressive performances. Coward led the way with 23 points, 12 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, while Hendricks finished with a career-high 22 points. Small added 19 points and five assists, Spencer recorded 17 points and eight assists, and Cam Boozer contributed 15 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.

The biggest issue for Brooklyn was its inability to consistently defend. The Grizzlies finished with 129 points, and the Nets repeatedly struggled to contest shots, contain dribble penetration, and secure defensive possessions. Turnovers also hurt Brooklyn, making it even more difficult to keep pace with a Memphis team that had plenty of offensive weapons despite missing several important players.

The loss drops Brooklyn to 3-9 on the season, while Memphis improves to 9-4. The Nets will now look to put this performance behind them as they finally return home following a four-game road trip. Brooklyn's next game comes Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET, when it hosts the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center.