Brooklyn Nets fans experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on Sunday as the team made significant roster changes, trading Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks. This move aimed to clear cap space while acquiring young talent as part of the team's rebuild strategy. Head coach Jordi Fernandez expressed disappointment over the team's lack of toughness and maturity, which he believes cost them the game against the Orlando Magic.
In a closely contested match, the Nets fell to the Magic 102-101 at Kia Center, despite leading by as many as 21 points. The Magic, playing without some key players, rallied back with a 22-4 run to clinch the victory, highlighted by Cole Anthony's game-winning floater with just 1.3 seconds left. The loss marked the Nets' second straight defeat, dropping their record to 12-20.
Cam Thomas made a notable return from injury, scoring a game-high 25 points. The Nets showed promise in the first half, leading 61-43 at halftime, but faltered in the final quarter, failing to score in the last minutes of the game. Fernandez pointed out the need for veteran leadership to stabilize the team and execute better defensively. The Nets will look to bounce back against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.
