Turnovers advised the story earlier than the rest had an opportunity to.
The Nets handed the ball away 25 instances Sunday night time at Little Caesars Enviornment. The Detroit Pistons turned these errors into 39 factors, shot 56.5% from the ground and dedicated simply eight turnovers themselves. By the point it was over, Brooklyn walked off with a 130-77 loss, falling to 13-35 in a sport that was over lengthy earlier than the ultimate buzzer.
It was the third-most lopsided loss in franchise historical past. Cam Thomas and Drake Powell completed with 12 factors apiece to steer the Nets. All 12 gamers who noticed the court docket for Detroit scored a minimum of 4 factors.
Brooklyn went simply 7-for-31 from deep. Detroit lived in transition. Each empty Nets possession appeared to show into one thing straightforward on the different finish.
With Michael Porter Jr. out once more for private causes, Nic Claxton carried Brooklyn by the opening minutes, scoring 10 factors on 5-for-7 taking pictures within the first quarter, tied for his most in any interval this season. It nonetheless wasn’t sufficient to maintain the Nets from chasing.
The largest hole confirmed up on the free-throw line. Detroit went 11-for-11 within the first quarter, six of these makes coming from Tobias Harris. Brooklyn tried simply 5 free throws and missed all 5 of its 3-point makes an attempt within the interval. The Pistons led 33-24 after one, even with Claxton’s effort, because the Nets shot 41.7%.
Tempers flared, too. Each Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Nets coach Jordi Fernández picked up technical fouls within the first quarter.
Brooklyn’s second unit gave it a short pulse. Thomas led an 8-0 run to open the second quarter, trimming the deficit to 1 by the 9:51 mark and forcing Detroit to reset. It didn’t final. The Pistons answered with an 11-2 burst of their very own to stretch the result in 51-38 with 4:51 left within the half.
Cade Cunningham started to say himself on the rim. Detroit saved operating. Brooklyn’s offense stalled towards a protection that leads the league in steals and blocks. By halftime, the Nets trailed 67-44. The Pistons had been taking pictures 54.5%, owned a 36-24 benefit within the paint and had already turned 10 Brooklyn turnovers into 16 factors, six of them coming within the second quarter alone.
Claxton, who performed simply 12 minutes within the first quarter, was the one Web in double figures on the break. Cunningham had 13 of his 18 factors and 10 of his 12 assists in his first 19 minutes.
The third quarter erased any remaining doubt. Nolan Traoré misplaced the ball. Then Danny Wolf did. Misses from Wolf and Egor Dëmin adopted. Detroit opened the interval on an 8-0 run, forcing Fernández into an early timeout because the Pistons pushed the result in 31. Out of the timeout, Traoré and Wolf turned it over once more, and the stress by no means relented.
Jalen Duren took over the interval, scoring 12 of his game-high 21 factors within the third as Detroit outscored Brooklyn 33-18 and compelled 9 extra turnovers. The Pistons crossed the 100-point mark with 30.7 seconds left within the quarter and went into the fourth up 38.
If it wasn’t over already, it was seconds into the ultimate interval. Ron Holland picked Thomas’ pocket close to midcourt and completed an uncontested dunk to stretch the lead again to 40.
Brooklyn by no means recovered from the early avalanche of errors. The Nets at the moment are 1-9 when Porter sits, and this one served as a reminder of how skinny the margin turns into when possessions are wasted and transition protection has to scramble all night time.
With a 1-4 street journey full, the Nets will return to Barclays Middle on Tuesday to face the Los Angeles Lakers.
