The Brooklyn Nets finally broke their losing streak in the new year with a resounding 124-115 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder during Friday night’s NBA action.
The win marked a significant turnaround for the team, which had not tasted victory since the year turned. Spencer Dinwiddie and Nic Claxton led the charge, scoring 23 points, while Cam Thomas ended his shooting drought with an impressive 19-point performance.
Thomas had been 0-20 in shooting before this game, but he played a crucial role in the Nets’ strong first half, scoring 16 points as they built a commanding 75-47 lead at halftime. Their dominance continued into the third quarter, extending the lead to 32 points.
Dennis Smith Jr. contributed significantly to the win, notching 13 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. He emphasized the importance of this win against the Thunder, a top team in the West, as a starting point for the Nets’ recovery.
“First win in ’24. You’ve got to start somewhere, so what better place than to beat a team that beat us a couple days ago, one of the top teams in the West, maybe in the league? So this was major,” Smith Jr. said.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
On the other side, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 34 points, and Jalen Williams added 20 points, but their efforts were not enough to overcome the Nets’ offensive surge. The Thunder, coming off a five-game winning streak, experienced their second consecutive loss.
The Nets’ victory comes after a challenging period marked by a $100,000 fine for violating the league’s player participation policy and a series of defeats, including a 0-4 road trip. However, they showed renewed energy in this game, with Claxton also grabbing 13 rebounds and Mikal Bridges scoring 17 points.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged the Nets’ aggressive performance in offense and defense, attributing their win to their proactive approach.
“They were just the aggressor in the game on both ends of the floor, I thought,” Daigneault said. “Really credit them, they’d struggled lately, and they did a great job of attacking the game and setting a tone for the game.”
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The Thunder had previously beaten the Nets on New Year’s Eve and started the new year with a win against the Boston Celtics, but have since encountered challenges on their road trip. After his shooting struggles, Cam Thomas found his rhythm in this game, particularly in the first half.
“That’s just the type of player that he is,” Claxton said Thomas, who came in averaging 20.8 points. “Especially once he sees those first one or two go in, I feel like the rim just gets a little bigger for him.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
The Nets’ turnaround was highlighted by a significant 19-1 run in the first quarter, which set the tone for the rest of the game. However, injuries remain a concern, with Lonnie Walker IV returning from a 17-game absence and Cam Johnson leaving the game with hamstring issues.
Looking ahead, the Thunder will face the Washington Wizards, while the Nets are set to host the Portland Trail Blazers in their upcoming games.
