Nets Rally Late but Fall Short Against Cavaliers in Cleveland

The Brooklyn Nets nearly pulled off an incredible comeback Saturday night, cutting a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to just two against the Cleveland Cavaliers before ultimately falling 125-121 at Rocket Arena. After spending most of the game trying to keep up with Cleveland, Brooklyn caught fire in the final minutes but ran out of time to complete the comeback.

Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 28 points and nine rebounds, while Julius Randle finished with 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Egor Dëmin added 22 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, when he knocked down four three-pointers. Chaney Johnson also contributed 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.

The loss drops Brooklyn to 0-2 to start the 2026-27 season. The Nets will have a chance to bounce back Sunday when they return home to face the Indiana Pacers.

Brooklyn got off to a rough start, committing a 24-second violation on its opening possession, but the offense settled in as the first quarter progressed. Porter knocked down a three-pointer before adding a pair of layups, while Randle connected from beyond the arc and converted a three-point play to give the Nets a brief lead.

Cleveland had answers throughout the opening period, with Evan Mobley hitting multiple three-pointers and Donovan Mitchell attacking the basket. The teams traded baskets late in the quarter, but Mario Hezonja's three-pointer at the buzzer gave the Cavaliers a 35-30 advantage.

The second quarter was when Cleveland began to pull away. The Cavaliers opened with an 11-0 run, extending their lead to 10 before Chaney Johnson stopped the bleeding with a three-pointer. Mikel Brown Jr. and Day'Ron Sharpe helped Brooklyn respond with a 7-0 run, and Noah Clowney came up with a big block on Mobley to give the Nets some momentum.

Brooklyn briefly made things interesting, with Porter scoring inside and Keon Ellis knocking down a fast-break three to cut the deficit to one possession. However, Cleveland continued to score almost at will, getting contributions from Mitchell, Mobley, Jarrett Allen and several players off the bench.

The Cavaliers also made life difficult for Brooklyn defensively, repeatedly getting to the free-throw line. Cleveland had attempted 20 free throws by halftime, putting the Nets in a difficult position as they tried to close the gap. A late three-pointer from Tyrese Proctor helped the Cavaliers establish a 68-54 halftime lead.

Porter had 13 points and five rebounds at the break, while Mobley and Allen each had 13 points for Cleveland. Mitchell added 10 points, and James Harden had seven points, six rebounds and five assists.

Brooklyn continued to have trouble slowing Cleveland down in the third quarter. Mitchell and Allen helped push the lead to 18, and although Porter and Randle kept producing offensively, the Nets couldn't string together enough stops to make a serious run.

Porter and Randle combined for Brooklyn's first 17 points of the quarter, doing most of the heavy lifting as the Nets tried to stay within striking distance. Josh Minott also made his first appearance of the season, giving Brooklyn another option off the bench. Still, Cleveland answered whenever the Nets threatened to gain momentum, taking the third quarter 28-26 and carrying a 96-80 lead into the fourth.

The Cavaliers extended their advantage to 22 early in the final period, and the game appeared to be getting out of hand. Then Dëmin caught fire.

The rookie knocked down three-pointers in bunches, hitting four in the quarter and scoring 15 points in the final 12 minutes. His shooting gave Brooklyn a chance to make things interesting, while Porter and Randle continued to attack the basket. The Nets put together a quick 7-0 run in just 25 seconds, then kept chipping away as Cleveland struggled to find the same offensive rhythm it had enjoyed for most of the night.

Brooklyn eventually turned the game into a real contest. Dëmin's shooting, Randle's work around the rim and a three-pointer from Johnson helped fuel a 17-4 run that cut Cleveland's lead to 120-116. Randle followed with a dunk before Porter buried a three-pointer to make it a two-point game at 123-121.

The Cavaliers had blown a 29-point lead in their previous game, and as Brooklyn continued to close the gap, another late collapse suddenly looked possible. Cleveland managed to avoid the same outcome this time, though, with Harden getting to the line and Sam Merrill converting two free throws to help seal the win.

Brooklyn outscored Cleveland 41-29 in the fourth quarter, but the late surge wasn't enough to overcome the damage done earlier in the game.

The Nets can take some positives from the way they fought back, particularly the performances of Porter, Randle and Dëmin. However, the defensive issues that plagued them throughout the night will need to be addressed. Brooklyn gave up 125 points, struggled to keep Cleveland off the free-throw line and dealt with significant foul trouble late in the game.

Sharpe was ejected in the fourth quarter after picking up his sixth personal foul and his second flagrant-one foul of the night. Dëmin and Porter also fouled out, leaving Brooklyn shorthanded as it tried to complete the comeback.

The Nets won't have much time to regroup. They return to Barclays Center on Sunday to host the Indiana Pacers at 6 p.m. ET in the second game of a back-to-back. Fernández confirmed that Brown will sit out Sunday's game regardless of how many minutes he plays against Cleveland, meaning Brooklyn will have to make do without the rookie guard as it looks to pick up its first win of the season.