Three Takeaways From The Nets' Blowout Loss To The Bucks

The Brooklyn Nets (3-16) hit the road on the second night of a back-to-back for a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks (9-12).

The Nets were shorthanded for the game, down Michael Porter Jr., Cam Thomas, and Egor Demin. That showed big time as the Nets got outclassed 116-99 by the Bucks, falling to a measly 3-16 in the process.

Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Nets blowout loss to the Bucks.

1. Second Quarter Disaster

Believe it or not, the Nets were right in this game early. A Danny Wolf free throw brought Brooklyn within two at 42-40 with just under eight minutes remaining in the second quarter. That's when the wheels fell off. Milwaukee would end the quarter on a 29-13 run to take an 18-point lead into the locker room. That run killed any hopes of a Nets upset in this one.

Brooklyn had no answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 12 of his 18 first-half points during that late run. The Nets turned the ball over, committed way too many fouls, and lost their offensive rhythm during that stretch. Without three starters, Brooklyn couldn't afford to go down by that much and come back. The second quarter lost the game tonight.

2. Danny Wolf's Breakout Game

Danny Wolf in the first half:

📊 17 PTS | 6-9 FG | 4-5 3FG pic.twitter.com/dXdrUqGnuH
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 30, 2025

Nets fans have been clamoring the see the rookie big man from Michigan get some extended run, and that's exactly what he got on Saturday. And he took advantage of that opportunity. Wolf poured in 17 first-half points on 6-9 shooting from the field in just 15 minutes. He was 4-5 from behind the arc, showing an ability to stretch the floor offensively.

He finished the night with 22 points, four rebounds, and four assists. This was a huge breakout performance for the 2025 first-round pick, who showed off all the offensive skills that Sean Marks and the front office fell in love with during the draft process. This is a great starting point for Wolf, who should continue to see big minutes going forward.

3. Nets Desperately Miss Offensive Stars

This was the second game in a row without Michael Porter Jr., and with Cam Thomas and Egor Demin also sidelined, the Nets were down three starters on the second night of a back-to-back. That was evident in Saturday night's blowout loss to the Bucks. The starting five of Nic Claxton, Ziaire Williams, Noah Clowney, Tyrese Martin, and Terance Mann were awful in this game, combining for a putrid 36 points on 15-35 shooting from the field.

It took until the 6:02 mark in the fourth quarter for a Nets starter to reach double figures. If it wasn't already obvious, the Nets' offense relies so much on Porter Jr. and Thomas to consistently provide huge scoring outputs. So when they're gone, the rest of the offense completely crumbles. There's no easy solution to this, other than getting those guys back from injury. But it might not hurt for Jordi Fernandez to insert some youth into the starting lineup until they return. It can't be worse than it was on Saturday.