The Brooklyn Nets returned from the All-Star Break in losing fashion after losing three of their last four games this past week. The Nets did make some moves that are not game changers, but a move in an interesting direction. The Nets had waived forward Bojan Bogdanovic, signed Killian Hayes to a 10-day contract, and signed a multi-year contract with Tyrese Martin. The Nets hold a 21-37 record and are now in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Cleveland Rocks Brooklyn to Victory
The Cleveland Cavaliers broke the streak in a 110 to 97 win over the Nets, with the Cavaliers continuing to lead the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers cannot be stopped this season as they have amassed a 45-10 record after their win over Brooklyn. The Nets did fight well against Cleveland, but a third-quarter offensive spurt by the Cavaliers put the game out of reach. The Nets are now without Ben Simmons and although Cam Johnson is a bright spot in this season’s woes for the Nets, they are not enough to get Brooklyn over the hump.
TWEEN, CROSS, FLOATER 🔥🔥🔥
NAH THAT'S TUFF, @TRENDONW!!! pic.twitter.com/d9v1gC0lis
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 21, 2025
For the Nets, Cam Johnson had 18 points, Keon Johnson had 16 points, and Ziaire Williams had 10 points. Off the bench, Trenton Watford had 13 points, and Jalen Wilson had 10 points.
For the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell had 26 points, Darius Garland had 18 points and 9 assists, Evan Mobley had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Jarrett Allen had a double-double with 16 points and 20 rebounds. Off the bench, De’Andre Hunter had 9 points.
Nic Claxton Rings The Bell Against Philly
The Nets clutched up a win against the Philadelphia 76ers in a 105 to 103 victory that saw Nic Claxton tip in a game-winning shot for Brooklyn. The Nets had a comfortable lead throughout the game that evaporated quickly, thanks to an offensive rally by the 76ers. Despite having their offensive juggernauts available in Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Joel Embiid, it was not enough to stop the Nets in the final seconds, as a missed three-pointer by Keon Johnson turned into a clutch tip-in play by Claxton to grab the win for Brooklyn.
GRITTY W pic.twitter.com/VpXoibzRUH
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 23, 2025
For the Nets, Cam Johnson had 23 points, Claxton had 16 points, Keon Johnson had 11 points, and Williams had 11 points. Off the bench, Watford had 16 points, and Day’Ron Sharpe had 10 points.
For the 76ers, Maxey had 31 points, Quentin Grimes had 16 points, George had 15 points, Embiid had 14 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 14 points. Off the bench, Andre Drummond had 6 points.
Nets Choke Away Against Washington
The Nets choked away a potential victory in a 107 to 99 loss to the Washington Wizards. The Nets suddenly stopped scoring in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter, causing the Wizards to rally back to regain the lead and secure the win for Washington. The Nets could not get any of their attempts to go in throughout the fourth, and instead of a back-and-forth battle, it turned into the Nets becoming scoreless outside of a pair of free throws by Cam Johnson. The Nets were held to only 12 points in the fourth quarter, and the Wizards had finally held down their first opponent of the season to under 100 points.
Z FOR THE LEAD
He's made 4-of-5 from deep on the night! pic.twitter.com/k06qdNAkvv
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 25, 2025
For the Nets, Williams had 19 points and 3 steals, and Cam Johnson had 17 points. Off the bench, Tyrese Martin had 15 points, and Watford had 11 points.
For the Wizards, Jordan Poole had 26 points, Bilbao Coulibaly had 20 points, Kyshawn George had 12 points, and Richaun Holmes had 11 points. Off the bench, Marcus Smart had 10 points.
Nets Could Not Withstand The “Aura” Of Shai and The Thunder
The Nets had another fourth-quarter collapse that gave the Oklahoma City Thunder a 129 to 121 victory. The Nets played great basketball in the first half, scoring 76 points and led by as much as 18 against the Thunder. However, the Nets could not stop the onslaught of offense led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, who created an 18-0 run in the fourth quarter, which turned the Thunder around immediately and led to the win. Newly acquired Killian Hayes did some damage as he scored a season-high of 19 points, but it was not enough for Brooklyn as they took another loss.
look at Day'Ron man, so inspirational! 💪😤 pic.twitter.com/VykWZMDBbh
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 27, 2025
For the Nets, Sharpe had a double-double with 25 points and 15 rebounds, along with 3 blocks; Cam Johnson had 19 points, Killian Hayes had 19 points, Williams had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Keon Johnson had 16 points and 3 steals. Off the bench, Tosan Evbuomwan had 9 points.
For the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander had 27 points, Jalen Williams had 22 points, Chet Holmgren had a double-double with 22 points and 17 rebounds, along with 4 blocks, and Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points. Off the bench, Aaron Wiggins had 24 points, and Cason Wallace had 13 points.
What’s Next For The Nets
The Nets are in an interesting position where they can keep winning games that could land them in a potential play-in spot, giving some of their young guys a playoff atmosphere to experience, or keep tanking to grab a top draft pick. While the Nets would not purposefully lose every game for the rest of the season, losing games will be more beneficial to the franchise in the future rather than winning games that could get them immediately bounced out of the playoffs after a Play-In game. The best thing that fans can do is hope that the Nets miss the playoffs and draft correctly to slowly build themselves a potential winning franchise in the next couple of years.
