Nets avoid repeating embarrassing NBA record with upset win over Pacers

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Nets avoid repeating embarrassing NBA record with upset win over Pacers

Erik Slater, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, Nov 6, 2025 ·

5 min read

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The post Nets avoid repeating embarrassing NBA record with upset win over Pacers appeared first on ClutchPoints .

The Brooklyn Nets were the NBA's only winless team entering Wednesday's road matchup with the Indiana Pacers . With Jordi Fernandez's squad largely non-competitive during a 0-7 start, some began to speculate whether the Nets could beat their NBA-record 0-18 start set during the 2009-10 season. Brooklyn ended that conversation on Wednesday, securing a 112-103 win over the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Fernandez made a significant change to Brooklyn's starting lineup in Indiana, playing Terance Mann at point guard alongside Cam Thomas with a revamped frontline of Michael Porter Jr. , Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton . The change sparked the Nets' league-worst defense, as they held the Pacers to 41-of-99 (41.4 percent) shooting while forcing 16 turnovers, leading to 23 points.

Despite losing Thomas to a hamstring injury in the first quarter, Brooklyn generated enough offense down the stretch to secure its first victory.

"The lineup maybe helps, but it's the willingness of everybody that played one through 10 to do the right things and to follow coverages and all those little things that we're preaching right now," Fernandez said. "For back-to-back games, we look like a competitive group, we look like a selfless group, and we look like a connected group. That's the way that we want to get better, and that's how we see our future in the short term and the long term. Winning starts now, and when you go out there and fight like this, that's what we care about for now and the future."

After missing Monday's Minnesota Timberwolves loss due to personal reasons, Porter Jr. led the Nets with his best performance of the season.

Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton , Noah Clowney lead Nets to first win of season

The offseason trade acquisition scored a game-high 32 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field, 4-of-11 from three and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line. He added 11 rebounds and three assists while making numerous hustle plays.

Porter Jr. extended several momentum-swinging possessions with offensive rebounds. He also forced a turnover in the backcourt on the inbounds to start the second half and hit a three directly after. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was ejected while arguing the call.

Indiana was already playing without Tyrese Haliburton , T.J. McConnell , Andrew Nembhard , Obi Toppin , Bennedict Mathurin , Kam Jones and Quenton Jackson .

Claxton put together another elite performance, posting 18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks with zero turnovers. The 26-year-old shot 5-of-9 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. Over his last four games, Claxton is averaging 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.8 blocks on 67.5 percent shooting.

Meanwhile, Clowney turned in the best performance of his career during his second straight start. The third-year forward posted 17 points, four rebounds and one assist on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 2-of-5 from three.

He and Claxton anchored a Nets defense that allowed only 20 points in the paint in the second half.

"We were just more connected tonight, and we were able to just force some tough shots, force them to take some shots late in the clock they didn't really want to get to," Claxton said. "Now you've got to have carryover going into the next game… It's great vibes. You can't take that for granted. We got one, but we gotta do it again."

After Fernandez removed him from the starting lineup, Tyrese Martin posted 16 points, five rebounds and two assists on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 from three. Terance Mann added 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals with only one turnover during his first start at point guard. Meanwhile, Jalen Wilson hit a pair of clutch threes in the fourth quarter to help stave off a Pacers comeback.

"I'm extremely proud," Fernandez said. "Because that group we had out there with Tyrese, J Will, Terance, Ziaire [Williams] and Day'Ron [Sharpe], they're [Indiana] making a run, they took the lead, and the hardest thing in a game that goes back and forth, is to still bring your bench, because you need them otherwise you run out of gas. And the Pacers score a couple of times, make a little bit of run, and then you can sustain that. And I give credit to everybody.

"I think it was a team effort, and I'm really proud of the whole group and being part of the win. It's very special. You win three out of four quarters, you allow 20 points in the paint in the half after we allowed 20 in the second quarter… We forced 11 [second half] turnovers for 15 points. That's the team we want to be, a disruptive team. And I'm very, very, very happy for the group, because winning like this, it just gives you energy to do what we do and come back the next day, still get one percent better, work, and move on the next game."

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