Michael Porter Jr. delivered his most efficient outing of the season, scoring 35 points to lift the Brooklyn Nets to a 116-103 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night at Barclays Center.
Porter shot 13-for-24 from the field and converted seven of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc, anchoring an offense that produced 17 made threes and snapped Brooklyn’s four-game skid.
Noah Clowney added 18 points in 30 minutes, and Nic Claxton supplied 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists as the Nets improved to 4-16.
Charlotte (6-15) entered the night with momentum after two straight victories, but its defense struggled to contain Brooklyn’s perimeter shooting. Kon Knueppel led the Hornets with 18 points, while Collin Sexton scored 15 and LaMelo Ball finished with 12 points and 14 assists.
The matchup was tight through three quarters, with the game tied at 59 at halftime and Brooklyn holding an 88-82 lead entering the fourth. Porter had 17 in the opening half, while Knueppel posted 12 before the break.
Charlotte made its strongest push early in the final period, cutting the margin to 96-93 after Liam McNeeley hit two free throws with 7:06 remaining. Brooklyn answered immediately as Danny Wolf finished a layup, and Porter knocked down a pull-up jumper on the next possession to restore a seven-point cushion with 6:16 left.
That surge opened the door for a decisive run. Wolf and Clowney each connected from deep, pushing the lead to 112-98 with 2:36 to play and quieting Charlotte’s final comeback attempt.
Brooklyn’s reserves supplied critical support, with Wolf and rookie Drake Powell each scoring 10 points. The Nets’ second unit outscored Charlotte’s bench 36-31 and helped stabilize stretches when Porter rested.
The Hornets struggled to match Brooklyn’s spacing, finishing 12-for-32 from long range compared to the Nets’ 17-for-43. Charlotte also allowed 13 offensive rebounds, giving the home team repeated extra opportunities.
Miles Bridges finished with eight points on 4-of-15 shooting, and Sion James had five points with four turnovers in 28 minutes. Ryan Kalkbrenner posted seven points and six boards in limited touches.
For Brooklyn, the win marked a needed step toward building consistency after a difficult start. Porter’s scoring burst elevated the offense, and the Nets produced 28 assists while committing only 11 turnovers.
Up next, Charlotte travels to face the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, while Brooklyn heads to Chicago to meet the Bulls.
