Nets Right Intentions, Positive Energy Shine Through in Win Over Bucks

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 96-90 on Tuesday.

Apr 7, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward E.J. Liddell (9) drives past Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (20) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

As the season winds down, the Brooklyn Nets' tanking plans are going right down the drain, as they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 96-90 on Tuesday.

E.J. Liddell led the way with 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting, hitting a couple of 3-pointers and seamlessly cutting to the rim for some nice finishes. Perhaps the Ohio State product was playing with a little extra motivation, not only because it was his first NBA start, but also because of Michigan's national championship win.

“I talked to my mom after my first NBA start,” Liddell said. “Couldn’t stop smiling, so I mean, the second one felt the same way. Any opportunity I get to put on this Brooklyn jersey, it feels special.”

Ben Saraf scored 19 points. Malachi Smith added 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, five rebounds, and four assists.

Liddell and Smith have had some up and down performances in recent games, especially as they find their footing on an NBA hardwood. However, their collective efficiency was glaring, missing just three shots combined.

“If you have the right intentions and always try to make the right play, one day you’ll maybe miss some shots, but it will even out when the work is there, the work that these guys put in every single day," Nets coach Jordi Fernández said. "The positive energy, it just ends up working out. So, you’ll see performances like this.”

Though you can certainly make a case that the Bucks were missing Giannis Antetokounmpo, in addition to a laundry list of players, that positive energy is exactly what the Nets have leaned on in recent games, as it's not easy to win at the NBA level no matter how you slice it.

The Nets have also had to weather the storm with many injuries recently, clearing the way for many of the young players and guys on shorter-term contracts to step up.

It can be hard to find a rhythm in that predicament, which Fernández recognizes. It takes time to learn new plays and understand each others tendencies on the fly.

“I didn’t make it easy for all these guys with different lineups," Fernández said. "All these different groups that may not be as comfortable together, but they played the right way. We're playing extremely hard. That’s positive because they’re taking advantage of their minutes and we’re getting better.”

The Nets will wrap up their homestand on Thursday against the Indiana Pacers.