Three Takeaways From The Nets' Road Loss To The Mavericks

On the second night of a back-to-back, the Nets battled, but ultimately came up short in a road loss to the Mavericks.

Jan 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) controls the ball in front of Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (1) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets (11-26) continued their West Coast road trip with a stop in Texas to take on the Dallas Mavericks (15-25) Monday night.

While Brooklyn got Michael Porter Jr. back, they found themselves extremely shorthanded for the second game in a row with Ziaire Williams (illness), Egor Demin (foot), and Cam Thomas (hamstring) all missing Monday's game. The Nets Dallas all they could handle, but it wasn't enough in a 113-105 road defeat.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the Nets loss to the Mavericks.

1. Day'Ron Sharpe Impresses Again

Day'Ron is dominating the glass in the first half!

📊 10 PTS | 11 REB (7 OREB!) pic.twitter.com/o8MrDQNgxa

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 13, 2026

It's been a strong last few weeks for Day'Ron Sharpe, and he turned in another impressive performance on Monday. The Nets' big man put up 14 points and 12 rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench. He had a double-double secured in the first half, which helped Brooklyn hang around despite a lackluster opening 24 minutes.

This was only the second double-double of the season for Sharpe, and his first since an October 27th game against the Rockets. It was all hands on deck in this one with all the injuries, and Sharpe put his best foot forward for Jordi Fernandez. He should continue to see consistent minutes going forward.

2. Michael Porter Jr. Leads The Way

On a night when the Nets were down numerous key scorers, Brooklyn needed Porter Jr. to deliver a big scoring night. And while it wasn't one of his best games this season, MPJ did what he could to keep the Nets in the game. He finished the night with 28 points and nine rebounds on 9-16 shooting from the field.

Points were at a premium all night for both teams, and Porter Jr. displayed some epic shotmaking to bail the Nets out in certain situations. His efficient and effective scoring will make him a highly sought-after commodity at the trade deadline, should Sean Marks decide to acquire some draft capital for the future.

3. Nets Ran Out Of Gas

On the second night of a back-to-back, with a lot of key injuries, the Nets gave Dallas everything they could handle, but it wasn't enough. They fell behind in the first half, and just could never get it down to a one-possession game. Despite the overall result, there was a lot to like from the Nets in this one.

They showed a lot of guts and heart in this game, battling until the very end and ultimately coming up just short. This was an effort that this team can build off of going forward, especially after the trade deadline, where they may find themselves shorthanded even more.