Another slow start dooms short-handed Nets in 103-98 loss to Grizzlies

C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News on Jan 11, 2026

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Another slow start proved too much to overcome. The Brooklyn Nets dropped their third straight game and fell to 11-25 Sunday with a 103-98 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.

Playing without Michael Porter Jr. (rest), Drake Powell (left knee injury management) and Ziaire Williams (illness), Brooklyn was down 16 by the 4:24 mark of the first quarter as Memphis erupted from deep. The Grizzlies went 6 for 12 from 3-point range in the opening frame, with rookie Cedric Coward drilling three of those triples while pouring in 16 points on 5-for-6 shooting. They did it all without Ja Morant, who sat out with a right calf contusion.

Brooklyn at least found a late spark before the quarter break thanks to Nolan Traore. In the final 1:28, the rookie guard set up a Day’Ron Sharpe dunk, found Tyrese Martin for a 3-pointer and then beat the buzzer with a nine-foot floater to trim the deficit to 11 heading into the second.

Martin, back in the rotation because of the absences, kept the Nets afloat in the second quarter. He scored eight points and knocked down both of his 3-point attempts as Brooklyn briefly pulled within five with 6:52 left in the half. But four turnovers down the stretch and Memphis settling in at the rim allowed the Grizzlies to regain control and carry a 61-50 lead into the break.

The Grizzlies got a combined 27 points on 10-for-13 shooting from Coward and Jock Landale in the first half.

The Nets clawed their way back into the game in the third quarter for two reasons. First, defense. Brooklyn held Memphis to just 34.8% shooting and forced four turnovers, which it converted into seven points. Six Grizzlies scored in the period, but none finished with more than four points. Second, Danny Wolf. The rookie forward played with renewed confidence, leading the Nets with eight points on 3-for-6 shooting, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Brooklyn tied the game twice in the third but didn’t retake the lead until Jalen Wilson buried a 3-pointer at the 2:20 mark, giving the Nets their first advantage since it was 7-6. Even so, Brooklyn entered the fourth quarter trailing 77-74 after winning the period 24-16, setting the stage for a back-and-forth finish.

A barrage of 3-pointers from Wilson, Martin, Terance Mann and Cam Thomas helped the Nets build their biggest lead of the night at eight with three minutes left. But Memphis answered with an 8-0 run to tie the game with 1:37 remaining, then extended it to 11 straight points when Coward drilled a deep 3 off a second-chance opportunity to put the Grizzlies back on top 101-98 and force a Brooklyn timeout.

Noah Clowney, who matched Martin with a team-high 17 points, missed two 3-pointers on the Nets’ ensuing possession on a night he shot just 4 for 17 overall, and a pair of free throws by Jaren Jackson Jr. in the final seconds iced the game, capping a 13-0 Memphis run to close it.

Coward finished with a game-high 21 points for the Grizzlies. Traore contributed six assists off the bench for Brooklyn.

The Nets will continue their road trip Monday with a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

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