The Brooklyn Nets were blown out by the Indiana Pacers 136-109.
Nolan Traore was a bright spot, finishing with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting and five assists.
But the Nets simply failed to execute properly for most of the game, managing to shoot just 35-of-86 from the field and 13-of-39 from the 3-point line.
The Nets hung in there against the Pacers for a decent portion of the first half but Indiana eventually ran away with it, outscoring Brooklyn 78-54 in the second and third quarters.
What are some takeaways from the Nets' ugly loss to the Pacers? Let's take a look.
Keon Ellis brought the defensive intensity in the first quarter, closing off passing lanes at the point of attack and taking it to the other end for some filthy corkscrew layups.
Ellis's active hands helped the Nets gain extra possessions and gain an advantage out in the open court.
Last year's Nets squad was starved for a veteran leader who could get after it defensively and provide adequate offense within the flow of the game.
Ellis could really turn into a nice resource for some of these young guns to learn from and help set Brooklyn's defensive identity.
Julius Randle wasn't barreling downhill as he was accustomed to. Instead, he was settling for jumper after jumper.
He did get to the free-throw line eight times and finished with seven assists, but he oftentimes failed to punish mismatches and claw his way to the rim.
If the Nets hope to string together more wins this season, they're going to need their top leader to show better body language on the court and show more initiative, as Randle proved in the preseason, he is capable of playing close to his three-time All-Star self.
There were too many times when Michael Porter Jr. settled for heavily contested jumpers and failed to move off the ball with intention.
Despite Porter's knack for moving off the ball and ability to find his game within the flow of the offense, there are plenty of times he gets too trigger-happy, even if it's not a high-quality shot attempt.
However, Porter's shot quality could improve once he finds better chemistry with Randle.
Porter finished the game with 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting but had no rebounds or assists.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/nets/onsi as Three Takeaways From Nets' Ugly Loss to the Pacers .
