Nets pummeled by defending champion Thunder after historically putrid first half

The Nets’ first half wasn’t just horrific; it was historic. Brooklyn got hammered 121-92 at home by reigning champion Oklahoma City on Wednesday night before a sellout crowd of 17,548 at Barclays Center, putting forth one of the sorriest halves of basketball in franchise history. Brooklyn trailed the Thunder 60-24 at the break, its lowest-scoring first half in franchise history.They were just two points away from tying the worst half by any team in the NBA shot-clock era, the 22 Phoenix tallied in 2016. The Nets (17-52) are the first team in the league this season to be held under 100 points in four straight games, snapping a dubious tie with Milwaukee and Sacramento.

They gained momentum in a tank race resembling an Olympic 200-meter final. The Nets dropped their fifth straight game and are 2-15 in their past 17 games.However, they remain third in the lottery standings, two games behind Indiana (pending the Pacers’ game against Portland) and a half-game behind second-place Washington. The Pacers have lost 14 straight and the Wizards 13 in a row, displaying complete commitment to tanking, but the Nets are only now following suit, trailing by a combined 60 points at the half in their last two games with threadbare lineups. Michael Porter Jr.

missed a fourth straight game for the Nets.Jalen Wilson had a team-high 15 points off the bench, while rookie point guard Nolan Traore added 13 in a bounce-back performance.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Shai Gilgeous-Alexander cracked the 20-point barrier for the 130th straight game, while Jared McCain — acquired from Philadelphia for a song — led the Thunder with a game-high 26 off the bench.

Luguentz Dort didn’t play. The...