Nets Suffer Back-to-Back 'Good' Losses, Showing They're Rebuilding the Right Way

It's hard to fathom this conclusion based on their record, but the Brooklyn Nets are having a season that most fans could actually be happy about. That isn't to say that losing the first three games of the year is fun, but the Nets' season is going how many would expect, and it's a good thing.

Brooklyn suffered a 118-107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, dropping its record to 0-3 and marking the second straight game where the Nets nearly pulled off a comeback after being down 20-plus points.

In their home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Nets rallied from a 25-point deficit before losing 131-124. Against the Spurs, Brooklyn was down by 26 in the second half, but cut the lead to one point with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately, the Nets couldn't pull off the comeback, but there's a lot to like from their season thus far. Brooklyn is still rebuilding, and pulling off what would likely be meaningless wins only hurts the team's draft position for a season focused on developing talent.

The goals for the Nets are to build off the youth and increase the trade value of veterans. So far, Cam Thomas, who might not be on the team next season as he enters free agency in 2026, is averaging 29.3 points per game after dropping 40 on San Antonio.

Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 19.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Nic Claxton, the most likely trade candidate, is putting up 12.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

As far as the rookies go, there will be growing pains like what we witnessed today against the Spurs. Egor Demin and Ben Saraf struggled in big minutes, but they've also shown flashes, such as Demin putting up back-to-back 14-point performances to start the season.

The struggles are expected to be evident this season, so the best Nets fans can do is appreciate the development and leadership under head coach Jordi Fernandez. Last season, Brooklyn exceeded expectations a bit, and could do the same this year.

Two straight 'good' losses are a sign that the Nets are rebuilding the right way. They aren't getting blown out, but rather keeping up with teams that could end up in the playoffs. Fernandez has brought a positive culture to a team that may not look competitive for a while.