The Nets snapped the longest losing skid in the NBA.
The victory was Pyrrhic.
The 116-99 win over tanking rival Sacramento at Barclays Center broke a 10-game slide but sank their odds in the all-important lottery.
Brooklyn improved to 18-57, but fell to third in the lottery standings with just seven games left in a lost season that’s been all about that lottery position.
The Nets stayed a game behind Indiana, but fell a half-game behind Washington in the lottery race. They’re now just a half-game ahead of fourth-place Sacramento after beating the Kings in a game they might’ve been better off losing.
“[I liked] the aggression, the physicality and being aggressive from the beginning,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “So, way to fight. Very happy with the game. Very happy with the minutes. Everybody contributed, and it was very, very positive.”
Ochai Agbaji led Brooklyn with a season-high 18 points and was plus-20 in 25 minutes off the bench. Nolan Traore had 17 points and six assists, while fellow rookie Drake Powell added 16 points on 4-for-6 shooting from deep.
Brooklyn led by as much as 27, up 50-23 midway through the second quarter on a layup by Nic Claxton. Noah Clowney added 15 points, seven boards, two steals and two blocks in his second game back from a wrist injury.
“We just talked. They run a lot of similar things to us, so it’s very simple in knowing what they’re about to do. A lot of the calls are similar,” Clowney said. “So just being connected, focused on what we need to do, and communicating. It’s not complicated.”
Traore is averaging 11.3 points and five assists in his past 24 games.
The Nets were already without lottery pick Egor Dëmin (plantar fasciitis), Michael Porter Jr. (left hamstring strain), Day’Ron Sharpe (left thumb surgery) and rookie Danny Wolf (left ankle sprain). Then Josh Minott (left hip contusion) and Jalen Wilson (illness) were both ruled out pregame against Sacramento after having been listed as questionable.
Brooklyn’s three two-ways and 10-day Malachi Smith were all available.
The Kings played without Russell Westbrook, Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Keegan Murray, De’Andre Hunter and Drew Eubanks.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
