Nets are making history — for other teams

The Brooklyn Nets are getting into the record books this season. Unfortunately for them, it's on the wrong half of historic blowouts.

The Detroit Pistons beat the Nets 130-77 on Sunday. The 53-point victory was the largest in Pistons franchise history, which stretches back to 1948. That lopsided loss came only 11 days after the New York Knicks set their own franchise record by beating the Nets by 54 points on Jan. 21.

Nets' lack of depth leaves them vulnerable to blowouts

Sunday's loss looked likely before it began. Leading scorer Michael Porter. jr. was out for personal reasons, while starting forward Noah Clowney had a back injury, and Ziaire Williams missed the game with a sore calf. That's 48.2 points per game on the bench, along with nearly 95 minutes per game.

The Nets are especially vulnerable to these absences because their roster features five rookie first-round picks. Egor Demin is the only one of those rookies averaging double-digits in scoring, putting up 10.5 points per game, along with 3.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

Not that the Nets veterans are lighting it up. 29-year-old Terance Mann is shooting only 45 percent and scoring 7.6 points per game. Cam Thomas averages 16 points, but shoots under 40 percent. They're the worst-shooting team in the NBA.

It's only going to get worse for the Brooklyn Nets

The Nets aren't quite as bad on defense as they are on offense, ranking 26th in defensive rating. They give up 114.7 points per game and don't foul excessively, though opponents are shooting extremely well against them.

But the team isn't quite as bad as they need to be to maximize their draft position. The Nets are tied for the fourth-worst record in the NBA, a crucial distinction since the worst four teams get the highest odds of the No. 1 overall pick. Brooklyn owes a first-round pick swap to the Houston Rockets in 2027, so this year is their chance at a top pick.

That means we'll likely see Porter and other veterans sitting out even more games and Brooklyn's inept offense getting worse. There may be a frenzy of tanking late in the season as the bottom six teams scramble — and lose — for draft position.

The Pistons and Knicks set franchise records against the Nets. They may not be the last team to do so in 2026.