Three Takeaways From The Nets' Late Loss To The Pelicans

The Nets failed to close out a game yet again in a frustrating loss to the Pelicans.

Jan 14, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) shoots a jump shot against New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets (11-27) continued their road trip on Wednesday night with a stop in the Big Easy to take on the New Orleans Pelicans (10-33).

Brooklyn entered the night losing seven of their last eight games, and were looking to get back on track against one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA this season. The Nets had a chance to right the ship, but another late collapse ended in a 116-113 loss to the Pelicans.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the Nets road loss to the Pelicans.

1. Egor Demin Is A Sharpshooter

did any of Egor's four three-pointers in the first half touch the rim??? https://t.co/g8lHUbTFnP pic.twitter.com/eUHIqp1pqx

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 15, 2026

Heading into Wednesday's game, Egor Demin was shooting a very quiet 39.1% from behind the arc. He's nearing 100 three-pointers already, and he got closer to that number in New Orleans. Demin would finish the night with 17 points on 5-9 shooting from three, while also pitching in five assists.

The Nets' 2025 lottery pick has been playing like a top-ten pick the past month, showcasing his elite shooting touch and underrated passing skills. Demin is looking like a franchise cornerstone piece for Brooklyn going forward, which may be the most encouraging thing to come out of this season for the Nets. Sean Marks was ridiculed at the draft for his selection of Demin. He's looking like a genius now.

2. Cam Thomas Bounced Back

CT COOKIN' pic.twitter.com/K1HJAFO5GU

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 15, 2026

Cam Thomas had really struggled over his past three games, shooting just 33.3% from the field and averaging 10.7 points per game. For a pure scorer like Thomas, those are low numbers. In New Orleans on Wednesday, he shook off a slow start and looked like the healthy version of himself in the second half.

Thomas ended up with 16 points on 6-15 shooting. He hit back-to-back threes late in the third quarter to help the Nets keep pace. His scoring bridged the gap until MPJ and the starters came back for the stretch run. It's a new role for Thomas since coming back from the injury, but it finally looks like he's adjusting to it. That's good news for Jordi Fernandez.

3. Nets Lose The Battle On The Glass

So many times in these close games, it comes down to very thin margins, like the rebounding battle. And the Nets lost that battle pretty thoroughly on Wednesday. They were out-rebounded 53-43 by the Pelicans, including 18 offensive rebounds from New Orleans. Those offensive rebounds turned into 33 second-chance points, including the game-winning layup from Saddiq Bey.

Brooklyn had no answers in particular for Yves Missi, who corralled 12 rebounds on the night, with nine of them coming on the offensive end. Those extra hustle plays from Missi ended up being game-changers and a huge reason why the Nets lost. They'll need to hit the glass better going forward if they want to end this losing streak.