The Brooklyn Nets opened their preseason schedule in impressive fashion, cruising past the Charlotte Hornets 124-90 on Tuesday at Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
Brooklyn led 33-31 after the opening quarter and took a 56-52 advantage into halftime before taking complete control after the break. The Nets outscored Charlotte 36-21 in the third quarter and added another 32-17 advantage in the fourth.
Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 16 points in 17 minutes, shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range. He also grabbed five rebounds, recorded two assists and had a steal.
Julius Randle added 13 points in just 18 minutes, going 4-of-7 from the field, 2-of-3 from three-point range and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. He also had three assists and two rebounds.
Day’Ron Sharpe finished with eight points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes, while Egor Demin contributed six points and five assists. Keon Ellis added five points and was a team-best +15 in 12 minutes.
Brooklyn received significant production from its bench as well. Danny Wolf scored nine points, grabbed three rebounds and dished out five assists in 15 minutes, while Drake Powell scored eight points in 15 minutes.
Nolan Traore added 10 points in 10 minutes, shooting 3-of-4 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Ben Saraf also scored nine points, while Terance Mann and Noah Clowney each added six.
The Nets shot 55% from the field and 54% from three-point range, making 20 of 37 attempts from beyond the arc. They also held a substantial 38-34 advantage on the boards and recorded 31 assists.
Charlotte struggled to match Brooklyn’s efficiency, shooting 40% overall and 44% from three-point range. The Hornets also committed 25 turnovers compared with 12 for the Nets.
Liam McNeeley led Charlotte with 14 points, including four three-pointers, while Naz Reid and Grayson Allen each scored 13. Allen shot 4-of-6 from the field and made three of his three-point attempts.
The Hornets stayed within striking distance early, but Brooklyn gradually pulled away before turning the game into a rout in the second half. The Nets closed the third quarter on a 20-2 run, turning a 74-71 lead into a 92-73 advantage entering the fourth.
Brooklyn continued to extend the margin throughout the final period, eventually leading by as many as 37 points.
The victory gives the Nets a 1-0 record in preseason play, while Charlotte drops to 0-1.
