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Nets pound Pelicans for much-needed bounceback win
Brooklyn beat New Orleans 145-111 on Wednesday, ending a run of poor form with a dominant performance. The win mattered for a Nets team that had lost by 37 in its previous game, while the Pelicans were also struggling after a record 51-point defeat.
Egor Dëmin returned to the starting line-up and scored 22 points, as did Michael Porter Jr.; Julius Randle added 17 and matched a franchise record with a plus-38 rating on the road. Brooklyn led 83-66 at half-time, its highest-scoring half since December 2022, and finished with 30 assists, 15 turnovers and a 42-28 rebounding advantage. Six Nets scored at least 15 points, tying a franchise record, while Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 29.
In short
- Brooklyn routed New Orleans 145-111.
- Dëmin returned and scored 22 points.
- Six Nets reached 15 points, tying a franchise record.
Explained simply
The Brooklyn Nets and New Orleans Pelicans are teams in the NBA, the top professional basketball league in the United States. Each season, teams play a long schedule before competing for a place in the playoffs, so runs of wins and losses can affect their prospects.
Brooklyn and New Orleans had both been struggling, making a strong performance valuable for confidence as well as the league standings. The Nets’ balanced scoring and rebounding showed how a team can build a lead through contributions across the squad, while the Pelicans rely in part on star forward Zion Williamson to drive their attack.