NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets (12-29) had another instance of a back-to-back where some players that are normally in the rotation were unavailable for a variety of reasons. Brooklyn had to welcome the Phoenix Suns (26-17) to Barclays Center on Monday on the second night of a back-to-back, but the Nets still didn’t get their desired result despite playing much better.
The Netslost to the Suns 126-117 in which Brooklyn was able to come back from a 20-point deficit thanks to the team sticking with the game and making plays in the second half. Forward Michael Porter Jr. led the way for the Nets with 23 points and six rebounds, but he struggled with his shot as he finished shooting 10-of-23 from the field. Forward Noah Clowney had 16 points and one steal and forward Ziaire Williams had 15 points and two steals off the bench.
With Porter back in the lineup, offense was not an issue for the Nets as they finished the game shooting 51.0% from the field, but the defensive side of the floor is what doomed Brooklyn in this one. Dillon Brooks went off for 27 points to lead the Suns in scoring, but Brooklyn did a better job of stringing together good offensive possessions in the second half.
Here are three Nets takeaways from Monday’s loss to the Suns:
Michael Porter Jr. Struggles In The Second Half
Based on Porter’s performance in the first half, 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field, it looked like he was headed towards a solid game. However, the second half was a tough one for Porter as he struggled to 5-of-13 shooting from the floor, including 0-for-5 from behind the three-point line, as the Suns were defending him to force him off the three-point shot, understandably so.
Terance Mann Does Everything
Mann has been asked to play multiple roles for the Nets over the course of this season, including playing the point guard spot when players like Egor Demin and Cam Thomas are out of the lineup. Monday’s game against the Suns was the best example of how much Mann has grown since the beginning of the season as he maintained his aggression on the offensive end with his scoring (10 points) and passing (8 assists) while maintaining his defensive intensity.
Ziaire Williams’s Impact Off The Bench After Illness
Prior to Monday’s loss to the Suns, Williams had missed the past six games for a variety of reasons, including his illness that cost him Brooklyn’s entire three-game road trip along with the subsequent reconditioning. Once Williams was able to get back on the floor for the Nets, he played like a guy who didn’t miss any time as he dropped 15 points and two steals in a little over 23 minutes per game.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: 3 Nets takeaways from Monday’s 126-117 loss to Devin Booker, Suns
