Nets score 83 in first half as Demin returns to bench Pelicans
Brooklyn outscored New Orleans in both halves, extending their lead to 40 points late in the game.
By Lucia Herrera ·
The Brooklyn Nets outscored the New Orleans Pelicans 83-66 in the first half on Wednesday night, a total that marked the third-highest first-half point output in franchise history. The visitors extended their lead to 124-84 during the fourth quarter, powered by a 17-1 scoring run that sealed a 145-111 victory.
Egor Demin returned to the lineup after missing six games with a bone bruise in his leg. He finished with 22 points, matching the total from Michael Porter Jr. Julius Randle contributed 17, while Noah Clowney and Moritz Wagner each added 16. Eight Nets players scored in double figures, and the team shot 57 percent from the field.
Brooklyn found success from beyond the arc, hitting 20 of 41 three-pointers. Nine different players made at least one long-range shot. Porter and Demin led the group with four makes each. The Pelicans could not match the pace, allowing 138 points or more in three straight games.
Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 29 points, and Saddiq Bey added 15. The Pelicans have lost their last two games by more than 30 points. Their previous loss, a 138-87 defeat to Golden State on Sunday, stood as a franchise record for the largest margin of defeat at 51 points.
The defensive collapse continued in the second half, where the Pelicans allowed 87 points. That is one point short of the franchise record for most points allowed in a half, set by the Lakers in February 2024. Trey Murphy III missed his second straight game with knee soreness.
Rookie Jaron Pierre Jr. made his first NBA basket in the defeat. The young guard, a second-round draft pick out of SMU and a New Orleans native, provided a small offensive spark for a team that has now dropped four straight.
