On a night when Michael Porter Jr. shot just 10-for-24 from the field, the Nets struggled to generate consistent offense elsewhere, falling to the Miami Heat 106-95 on Thursday night at Barclays Center.
It was Brooklyn’s first game since Sunday, and the loss dropped it to 7-19 on the season. Miami made more shots when it mattered, but the game wasn’t decided at the free throw line until late, with the teams combining for just 30 total attempts.
The Heat jumped Brooklyn early behind a scorching start from Norman Powell, who poured in 10 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting in the opening minutes. Rookie big Kel’el Ware added to the early surge with eight quick points on 4-for-5 shooting, forcing Nets head coach Jordi Fernández to reach for defensive specialist Drake Powell in an effort to slow the bleeding.
That plan was cut short almost immediately. Just four minutes into his stint, the rookie went down after a collision and was visibly limping as he made his way to the bench. He was helped off the floor following a timeout, and after the first quarter the Nets announced Powell would miss the rest of the game with a right ankle sprain, the same ankle he’s sprained twice earlier this season.
Brooklyn weathered the early burst despite a shaky first quarter. The Nets shot 42.3%, surrendered six second-chance points and were outscored 6-0 in transition, but kept the damage manageable. After falling behind by as many as 11, Brooklyn closed the period within striking distance, trailing just 30-27 heading into the second.
Trailing by seven with 6:49 left in the first half, Porter knocked down a 10-footer to spark a quick run. Nic Claxton followed with a put-back, then Noah Clowney slipped free for a bunny at the rim, trimming Miami’s lead to one in a matter of possessions.
Moments later, though, Clowney went down after Simone Fontecchio fell into his knee, leaving the forward hobbling as he made his way to the bench. He didn’t return before halftime, with rookie Danny Wolf checking in to replace him.
Miami regrouped from there and carried a 54-49 lead into the locker room, aided by a deep heave at the buzzer from Powell that dropped from 41 feet. Powell and Jaime Jaquez Jr. combined for 28 points in the first half as the Heat shot 48.9%, while Brooklyn struggled to find a rhythm, shooting 40.4% before the break.
Clowney’s return to start the second half steadied Brooklyn, but the margin for error remained slim. The Nets shot just 39.1% in the third quarter and still found a way to win it 24-23, leaning on second-chance opportunities and perfect shooting at the free throw line. But after Brooklyn briefly tied the game late, Miami answered, closing the quarter on a 6-2 run to take a four-point advantage into the final frame.
Miami won the fourth quarter 29-22 and pulled away behind a 12-for-14 effort at the free throw line.
Porter led the Nets with 28 points but struggled with efficiency and he wasn’t alone. Claxton finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, while rookie Egor Demin added 14 points as Brooklyn shot 38.8% as a team. Clowney had a tough night, too, going 2-for-13 from the field and 0-for-9 from 3-point range.
Powell paced Miami with 24 points on 8-for-14 shooting, one of four Heat players to score in double figures.
Brooklyn will try to bounce back Sunday when it hosts the Toronto Raptors at Barclays Center.
