Sloppy Nets get served brutal reminder from Thunder in blowout loss

The Nets looked across the court at Oklahoma City, the team they’re trying to emulate in their rebuild. 

Brooklyn, offensively incompetent in a 105-86 loss to the Thunder on Friday before 18,203 at Paycom Center, got a harsh reminder of just how far away they are. 

Smothered by the reigning NBA champions, the Nets shot just 36.7 percent overall, and 7-of-41 from 3-point range. They showed more fight than they had the night before in Cleveland. They didn’t roll over; they just couldn’t buy a jumper, or hold on to the ball.

They had 21 turnovers, including a dozen in a 21-3 Thunder run. 

Brooklyn (15-40) moved up the lottery standings, now alone in fourth. The Nets pulled a game ahead of the fifth-place Wizards, who won two in a row against the similarly tanking Pacers.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) passes as Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) defends during the first half at Paycom Center on Feb. 20, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

They’re now just a game out of second place, a tie between Indiana and New Orleans. 

The Thunder were without reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain), as well as Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. That didn’t stop them from improving to a league-best 43-14, not looking past the Nets. 

Michael Porter Jr. had a game-high 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Nets But playing on the tail end of a back-to-back — something he hadn’t done in their last six such occasions — he shot just 1-of-9 from 3-point range. 

Lottery pick Egor Dëmin — the Nets’ first Rising Stars participant since 2019 — looked like he’s hitting a rookie wall. He had just three points, shooting 1-of-10 from the floor and 1-of-8 from deep. Fellow teen rookie Nolan Traore scored 17 points. 

Brooklyn hired former Oklahoma City director of amateur scouting Acie Law to be director of player personnel, and will look to pattern their rebuild after the Thunder. But Friday showed how far they have to go. 

The Nets had an early 23-17 lead after newcomer Ochai Agbaji’s 3-pointer with 2:26 left in the first quarter when their offense went ice-cold. 

Egor Demin of the Brooklyn Nets looks to pass the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 20, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

Brooklyn conceded an extended 21-3 run over the last 9½ minutes. They missed 11 straight shots — 0-for-8 from deep — and gave away 12 turnovers to fall behind 38-26 on a Chet Holmgren free throw. 

By the time Porter found center Day’Ron Sharpe (12 points, eight rebounds, two steals in place of injured Nic Claxton) inside to staunch the bleeding with 3:30 left in the half, the game was over. 

The deficit swelled to 55-35 early in the third. 

Unlike the night before against the Cavs, this time at least the Nets tried to show some fight. Down 71-54, they ripped off a 9-0 blitz in just 1:25. 

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Porter had a couple of decent finds, Jalen Wilson for a 3-pointer and then Danny Wolf for a layup that got them within 71-63. But that’s as close as it got. 

Jared McCain had 21 for the shorthanded champs.